Dragon Keeper
by Fierian Ra
Summary: The Dark Saga has begun.Three of our heroes fall under the thrall of the infamous puppeteer a powerful mind controller who turn three of the tentei into the dream team of evil and Koenma must enlist new help from two wayward bounty hunters to stop them.
1. The legend

I do not own yyh or its characters, wish I did, but, I don't.  
  
Slight romance b/w kurama and OC and possibly b/w hiei and OC in later chapters. Oh yeah, this takes place about 6 months after the dark tournament (since I didn't see the rest of the series after this point it may be out of whack with what's going on at that time but...oh well! enjoy  
  
==Chapter 1==  
  
A long time ago, before humans roamed nigenkai, it was ruled and maintained by a group of demons known as the dragon keepers. There were seven clans, each stationed on a continent in this world. These demons, hybrids between different dragon clans and other demons had the ability to summon and control the spirits of ancient powerful dragons and use their power for their own. Each clan of dragons represents some elemental power or some special skill in which the keepers used to maintain order and beauty in the world. However, over the years, the appearance of the race of man caused complications in the maintenance of nigenkai. The humans began to whittle away at the precious resources of nigenkai, taking in excess instead of only what was needed to survive. Soon the humans began to come into the territory of the keepers and their dragons and caught glimpses of them; and man, being the way man is, tried to destroy what they feared and could not understand. Battles commenced between the two species, Epic battles which have been retold throughout history, which nowadays are thought of as fairy tales or myths and legends. But, these beliefs that these battles were myths only came about because after a certain point in time, the dragons and their keepers disappeared from nigenkai. No evidence was ever found of dragons roaming the earth. This was because of a ruling made by the spirit world. Because the demons had taken human life, the keepers as well as the dragons were banished from nigenkai. This banishment angered the keepers, but, at the time they were powerless to rise up against spirit world. So, they waited, waited in the depths of the demon world until they could rise up and reclaim the world that was rightfully theirs...  
  
"Okay class, so tell me what did you think of William Kendrick's Myth of the Dragon Keepers: the Eternal Struggle?" Jun Pei, a foreign exchange teacher from china glanced around her World Literature class for signs of any participation. Instead all she found was a dozen google eyed lovesick boys and a dozen disgusted, jealous girls.  
  
Ever since she came from china to teach at this school all of the young male students have had huge crushes on her and wouldn't leave her along. Jun Pei assumed it was because she was the only female teacher here as well as the only teacher who was under 30 years old (she's 25 btw). She sighed remorsefully, and tossed her shoulder length, wavy, sky blue hair behind her shoulder.  
  
'Well I suppose things could be worse,' she thought to herself. Just then, she spotted a dozing yusuke urameshi in the back corner of the class. 'Yusuke', he was the only one who didn't follow her around or admire her like a lovesick puppy. And besides his constant sleeping episodes during her lectures, she had to admit that she favored him to the others. He was a truly genuine guy and she admired him for that.  
  
Keiko, Yusuke's better half, noticed their teacher staring at Yusuke and kicked him behind his leg in order to wake him up.  
  
"Mr. Urameshi," Jun said calm but firmly.  
  
"Hey what's the big idea keik...hey...um" Yusuke stopped abruptly when he noticed that he was the center of the classes' attention. "What are you freaks lookin' at? If ya got something to say then say it!" All the student's eyes immediately shifted back to the front. Even though they were no longer at Saryaski junior high, yusuke still held the title of the biggest bad ass punk around. 'Bad move Yusuke,' thought Keiko.  
  
"Mr. Urameshi," restated Jun, "what do you think of William Kendrick's legend?"  
  
"Well to tell ya the truth teach dragons and demons and things just ain't my style y'know, but, nice try anyway." He said in his usual cocky/ sarcastic way. Keiko stared at Yusuke. 'Surely he was jesting did he not, just six months ago, enjoy beating the crap out of some of the worst demons in spirit world at the dark tournament?' (1.)  
  
Jun Pei stared at Yusuke for a while, and then smiled secretly at him, "Hmmm," she said as if sizing him up, "well... I guess we all have our own opinions about what we like and dislike." Everyone in the class stared surprisingly at their teacher's response to Yusuke's behavior. Yusuke just smiled his famous cocky grin at her.  
  
To everyone's astonishment at Takada High, Jun took a strange liking to Yusuke Urameshi since the beginning of her term; much to the dislike of the faculty.  
  
=Bells announcing the end of the final period=  
  
The children left the classroom and everyone else left the school grounds except for Jun Pei who stayed to grade papers.  
  
=9:00 pm Takada High=  
  
Jun Pei began packing up her belonging into her brief case. It had been a long night, but, she had finished her grading and was ready to go home. Just then a light knock sounded on the door outside of the classroom. 'Funny, I thought that I was the only one still here,' she thought. "Who's there," she asked with some alarm.  
  
No answer...  
  
"You're not supposed to be here, the school grounds are closed, come back next week," she stated quickly.  
  
"Sorry, but, I don't have that kind of time," said an icy feminine voice coming from inside the classroom. Jun Pei spun around to meet two cold grey eyes with flecks of gold running through them.  
  
"H.. how did you get in her.." she was cut off abruptly by the strange woman with the cold eyes.  
  
"You tell the story of our people so well," said the woman. She was seated on one of the desks, with her legs folded, parallel to Jun. The woman's cold eyes began to glow as a soft wind entered the room and wafted her long midnight black hair. The wind in the class began to pick up and grow stronger as different articles in the room began to fly up and rise from the floor. Soon desks and chairs began to fly wildly around the room. Jun began to scream frantically as her own desk flew away from her. The desk that the mysterious woman was seated on began to float off the ground. She stepped away from the desk, sending it flying along with the rest of the debris, and began to walk towards a petrified Jun Pei.  
  
"Wh...what are you doing?" Jun squeaked. The woman just continued to walk towards her; no sign of emotion marred her flawless pale features. When she came an arm's length from Jun Pei, she spoke again, totally ignoring Jun's question,  
  
"However, as much as I love your story telling, I'm afraid you've become too comfortable in telling our tales...so...I must relieve you from your duties in this plane immediately." She lifted her hand gently in the air and caused all of the flying objects around her to halt, "sorry, but, this is going to hurt." Just then all of the objects suspended in the air locked on their target and charged.  
  
=Spirit world=  
  
"Ogre! Ogre!!" The blue man ran frantically to reach the toddler's, Koenma, side.  
  
"Yes Koenma sir,"  
  
"Did you just sense that enormous power coming from the human world?" Ogre stared at Koenma, noticing a slight twinge of worry in the toddler's hazel eyes.  
  
"Uh...no sir I didn't" he replied matter- of -factly  
  
"Well I should've expected that," just then ogre fell to the floor, shocked that Koenma would say something like that to him...again!  
  
"Get off the floor ogre and stop fooling around! We have problems here! A real crisis! Contact yusuke and the others immediately and put them on the case.  
  
Well that was chapter one. A little strange but it gets better I assure you looks from side to side well it does. Anywayz please review. The next chapter, chapter two duh is Enter Yumi. Will update soon  
  
Ok just wanted to let you know that I'm one of those unfortunate people who did not watch the entire series of Yu Yu Hakusho, so I don't exactly know how much time went on between the end of the dark tournament and the sensui saga, so forgive me if the timing is off.  
  
Also I wanted to let you all know that this story will go into the Makai tournament and that will probably be the last saga that the story will contain. Once again the story timing will be off and I plan to watch the entire series before I get to the last saga with Mukuro, Yomi and Raizen. Okies dokies please read and review. 


	2. Enter Yumi

Disclaimer: I do not own yyh, wish I did but I don't.  
  
Okay chappie two: once again this will be a kind of romance and it will be an epic story going into many sagas.  
  
Suuichi minamino sat at his desk surrounded by his horde of female admirers. Even though it looked as if he were attentive to each of the girls cooing over him, in truth he was barely listening to them  
  
"Oh suuichi-kun you're so cruel, not accepting my invitation to go out," "oh suuichi you're so beautiful," "suuichi-kun are you seeing anyone yet?" and on and on it went. The same dribble spoken without end. It came to a point where he had grown tired of it and waved off their advances. In truth he had never, not as suuichi, nor as Yoko, never given his heart, or to a lesser degree, doted on or was emotionally attached to another woman. The only time he coupled with women as Yoko kurama was if it were beneficial to his occupation as a thief. As suuichi, however, his excuse as to why he was not seeing anyone was simply because he had no interest in the women that surrounded him in his life. There was no challenge, they were all easy prey. The fact that there was no challenge meant that his conquest would mean nothing and would not be worthwhile. The only woman he was emotionally attached to was his mother.  
  
"Perhaps," he thought, "the fox/thief in me influences this part of my life as well"  
  
Kurama suddenly noticed that the constant female fuss over him had died down and that his admirers had seated themselves some time ago. The teacher had already come into the class and was taking role.  
  
"Minamino,"  
  
"Present," kurama said absentmindedly. A dozen love dazed female eyes had drifted towards kurama as he spoke. Kurama simply sighed and starred towards the front of the class.  
  
"Alright class, today we have a new student joining us from Okita high in Kyoto. Please welcome Miss Nakamura Yumi." A girl stood up from a side chair near the wall.  
  
"She's so pretty," one girl whispered "Look at her eyes . . . and that necklace" another whispered.  
  
Kurama observed the girl standing before the class. She was indeed beautiful, but, he had seen others just as beautiful. The girl had long black wavy hair, pale skin like that of a porcelain doll and large luminescent eyes which held the color of a blush pink (like salmon color). He also noticed that there was something else curious about her eyes, something that intrigued him, but he did not know what. His eyes drifted to her neck where she wore a beautiful necklace which resembled a choker, but was slightly longer. The necklace held a large beautiful deep garnet stone in the shape of a tear drop that had amber facets running through them. In fact the stone didn't really look like a stone instead it looked like petrified amber.  
  
"Interesting," he thought  
  
"Welcome Miss Nakamura," said the class in unison.  
  
"Thank you, it is a pleasure to be here." She said pleasantly, a sweet smile gracing her features.  
  
"Miss Nakamura, please seat yourself by Miss Tanaka. Tanaka raise your hand please." Aya Tanaka gingerly raised her hand for Yumi to recognize her. The cheerful brunette was student council president and one of the most popular girls in school. Yumi walked down the isle, bowed her head to Aya, and then sat down.  
  
Suuichi, who was sitting behind Yumi, wondered how long it would be before "this one," would join the army of his female admirers. As the teacher started lessons, Kurama starred at the back of Yumi's head and noticed that her hair was not black as he originally thought, but it was a deep mahogany with hidden stands of gold running through its wavy length. "Interesting," he thought "could this mean that you also have a hidden side to yourself?" He mused.  
  
Later that day: after school  
  
"suuichi-kun," kurama who was standing at his locker shuddered in annoyance at the female shrill that had called out to him.  
  
"Hello Miss Tanaka," he said, reluctant to turn around and meet his hostess. After he closed his locker and rearranged his expression from one of disgust to one of pure delight, he turned to meet the annoying student council president. When he turned, Aya Tanaka's face was not even three inches away from his own. "What a surprise," he managed to choke out. Kurama's reluctant behavior wasn't due to any physical unattractiveness on the girls part, in fact, she was very beautiful. It was just that her persistent plans to try to gain his affection were truly growing annoying.  
  
His eyes shifted to the side where he noticed another presence. His eyes were met by eyes the color of blush with golden flecks running through them, "funny, I didn't notice that before," thought kurama.  
  
"Suuichi-kun, I just wanted to personally introduce you to Miss Nakamura. Miss Nakamura, this is suuichi, the smartest, cutest, most popular boy in the school."  
  
Yumi stepped forward, her luminescent yes smiling in greeting, "hello suuichi, it's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed her head gracefully.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well Miss Nakamura," instead of bowing, kurama held out his hand. The girl smiled and gave him her hand.  
  
"Please, call me Yumi,"  
  
"As you wish Yumi," he replied.  
  
There eyes met and held and neither removed their hand from each others grasp. Aya looked back and forth between the two, "oh great, don't tell me he likes her," she whined in her mind.  
  
"Okay okay, enough with the greetings," she gritted out, "anyway we were on our way to the ice cream shop. Care to join us suuichi-kun?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Kurama removed his gaze and hand from Yumi's, "no I can't. I have a few errands to run actually. But, thank you for the invitation." He bowed his head to both of the girls, "farewell." He said as he began to walk away.  
  
When he turned the corner and was out of sight Aya began to whine, "Oh my god, suuichi is soooo into you!" her eyes were filled with envy.  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Yumi asked.  
  
"The way the two of you were looking into each others eyes," Aya sighed dramatically, "I'm so jealous."  
  
"Yumi just looked at the girl with an innocent expression planted on her face, "what a foolish child," she thought to herself.  
  
Kurama stood around the corner and watched the two girls conversing. After a while, the two walked off. Kurama walked out from the corner with his hands in his pockets starring in the direction the two had walked off in.  
  
"Her eyes," he thought, "no human has eyes like that. They were so eerie yet . so familiar somehow. Even though I didn't sense any demon energy coming from her, she could be linked to the new case we were just assigned to. After all, she could be masking her energy and hiding her true demon self. I'd better stay close to her, just in case .Yumi Nakamura." 


	3. The meeting

Chapter 3: the meeting  
  
PLEASE PLEASE I'm begging you all to review or at least let me know if someone's reading.  
  
Takada High  
  
Yusuke urameshi sat on the rooftop of Takada high. His features were set in a menacing expression. "Miss Jun," he thought, "How could anyone do such a thing?" His mind drifted to the events that occurred earlier in the day . . .  
  
Flashback  
  
It was one of those rare days that Keiko forced him to get to school extra early. While they walked through the hallway, on their way to class, they heard some screams and a lot of commotion coming from one of the classes. "What's going on?" Keiko asked to herself. The two walked quickly to where the commotion was coming from. There were a lot of police officers, paramedics and students milling about. The classroom was blocked off by yellow police tape.  
  
"Geesh, if school's this exciting early in the morning, then I might as well come early everyday." Said yusuke.  
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko could never understand where yusuke got his sense of humor from. Just then, one of Keiko's friends, Mai, came running up to her with tears in her eyes  
  
"Keiko, I can't believe it! It's horrible," she said between sobs.  
  
"Mai, tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Ms. Jun .she's.she's" the girl passed out before she could fully answer.  
  
"Ms. Jun?" Keiko said as she turned to find Yusuke, but, he had already left her side and was fighting to get through the crowd. His face was horror stricken when he looked in the classroom. He looked on the floor and saw a body bag with Jun Pei's body in it. Blood, and lots of it, covered the floor along with a pile of broken, bloody chairs and desks.  
  
"No this . can't be," he whispered brokenly.  
  
End of flashback  
  
"Ms. Jun," yusuke whispered before he squeezed his eyes shut forcing himself not to cry.  
  
"Urameshi," Kuwabara, who had been standing opposite of his friend for a while, tried to snap yusuke out of his sorrow. "Hey, I know how you're feeling, I mean, she was a great teacher! But you gotta forget about it and focus on the case. Kurama and hiei are gonna be here soon so ya need to snap outta it.  
  
In less than a heart beat yusuke was in front of kuwabara with his hands gripped onto his collar. "Cram it dumbass! She was my favorite teacher! The only freakin' one who gave a stupid care about me! What the hell do you know!!?" Yusuke's eyes were blazing. Kuwabara stared calmly into Yusuke's fiery eyes.  
  
"I know you're angry man, but, you gotta cool it. Hell I'm pissed off myself, but, the only way we're gonna get to the bottom of this is if we have a cool head. Do it for Ms. Jun." Yusuke began to calm down slightly, "I promise you we'll get these punks for what they've done, but we've got to do it with a clear head."  
  
Yusuke sniffed and let Kuwabara go, "I know what you're saying Kuwabara, it's just shocking to hear you speak logically for once" yusuke joked.  
  
"Hey you jerk!" kuwabara shouted.  
  
Yusuke smirked at him and said, "You give a pretty good speech when your life is on the line."  
  
"Man you're impossible," kuwabara said  
  
"But, accurate," someone quipped behind them.  
  
"Hey! Watch it shrimp!!!" Shouted Kuwabara.  
  
"What's up Hiei," said yusuke.  
  
The short fire demon, who was clad in his customary black ensemble, was standing behind them on the rail of the roof. Hiei jumped off the railing to stand next to the two humans, "since we've seen you in that situation so many times, you know, the one when you get your ass kicked severely and nearly die; we get to experience your 'heartfelt' speeches first hand."  
  
"Hey shrimp! You wanna take this outside?!" shouted kuwabara.  
  
"We are outside, fool!" hiei retorted.  
  
"Children!" Yusuke said angrily, "can't we all just get along?"  
  
"Hn!"  
  
"Now where's Kurama?" asked Yusuke  
  
"I'm right here yusuke," said Kurama who was standing right next to Kuwabara.  
  
"Agh!!! Don't do that!" screamed Kuwabara  
  
"so now that everyone's here-oh wait, pacifier breath and botan ain't here yet- always the last ones to arrive. Typical since they're the ones who called the stupid meeting."  
  
"Koenma is never late." Everyone jumped at Koenma's sudden appearance.  
  
"What is this, pop up day or something!?" Shouted Yusuke  
  
"Bingo!" said the over cheery grim reaper botan, "hello everyone!"  
  
"Now this is getting stupid," said Yusuke while scratching his head.  
  
"Yes, can we please get on with it," said hiei with his hands in his pockets and his customary deadly glare fixed on botan.  
  
"Uh," she shied away from hiei's glare, "he he he, I'll be standing over here," she moved about ten feet in the distance, away from hiei.  
  
"Yes well, I've come to update you on what we found out about the killer and I'm sorry to say that this one's going to be a doozey. Our sources tell us that we're dealing with a type of shadow demon. These demons attack only in the dark. When it's day or when they're surrounded by light they are powerless. However, when in the dark, they are said to be undefeatable. They hold the power of illusion, and other deadly skills,"  
  
"Other deadly skills huh? Great, so what do they want?"  
  
Koenma floated up to yusuke so they were at eye level, "you know, the usual, world domination,"  
  
"Same ole same ole," sighed yusuke  
  
"Just about,"  
  
"So, we find this demon; kick their ass back to Makai; case closed right?"  
  
"Well yes, and no," said the toddler. He sighed and turned his back to the group. "You see this is not just one demon you're dealing with, nor, are all the demons you will be dealing with shadow demons. This is a whole race of demons that have many different types of powers, some of which are unheard of. They are a very old, very wise, very powerful race."  
  
"So would you mind telling us what race these demons belong to?" asked hiei sarcastically.  
  
"Once a long time ago, before humans inhabited this world, these creatures ruled over this land, they called themselves dragon keepers."  
  
"Wait a minute," yusuke folded his arms and cocked his head to the side, "now where did I hear that name from?" He asked  
  
"How about from your late teacher, Jun Pei's lessons." Said botan who had found her way back to the group.  
  
"Hey, that's right," yusuke whispered  
  
"We don't really know why they killed the woman, but, we can surmise that it probably had something to do with her revealing the clan's secrets in her lectures."  
  
"So, what exactly do you want us to do?" Asked hiei  
  
"Well I guess the right thing to say would be to watch your backs,"  
  
"What?!?" Yelled yusuke  
  
"I thought you said that they only wanted to take over the world," said kuwabara  
  
"Well they do, but, in order to do that, they have to take you guys out,"  
  
"So now the hunters have become the hunted," kurama said quietly  
  
"I'm afraid so kurama," koenma turned around with a squeamish smile on his face, "well that's all I have for now, try to stay alive," with that the toddler disappeared.  
  
The group stood on the roof top not saying anything until hiei broke the silence, "is it me, or did that fool koenma seem a bit skittish when he was talking about these demons," asked hiei.  
  
"Quite. His report also seemed to be lacking important detail. It's as if he was hiding something." Said kurama. He began to walk towards botan, "is there anything else we should know botan?"  
  
"Not that I know of, koenma hasn't told me anymore than what you already know. But, I'll try to find out more if I can." With that the girl materialized her magical oar and flew away.  
  
"Hey, kurama, do you know anything about these dragon keepers?" Asked yusuke  
  
"I dealt with one in the past as Yoko kurama, but that situation has nothing to do with this," he said  
  
"What kind of situation?" Asked hiei  
  
"That is of a private matter,"  
  
"Hn,"  
  
"Anyway, I might know of someone who could be linked to these creatures, but more investigation is needed."  
  
"Well alright then, there's a starting point, now all we gotta do is make sure none of us don't get killed before the end of this case." Said yusuke  
  
Well ok, that was chapter three, kinda boring I know, but it was necessary. Now for the matter at hand, I need for you all to REVIEW, I need to hear you guys' opinions. Flames are welcome, just please, PLEASE review.  
  
Ok I'll try to update soon. 


	4. Meet the enemy

Still no one's reviewing _, I really want to know you guys' opinions. Well anyways this is going to be a pretty long chapter and the intro to the action and S&M that will be coming up. he he he  
  
Anyway enjoy!  
  
Yumi Nakamura walked down the streets, the darkness of the night surrounding her like a cloak. The girl continued to walk, unperturbed by the darkness or the silence. Her mind drifted back to the events of the day. She thought about the boy called Suuichi and his strange mannerism when they met. When he was staring at her, it was as if he knew that she wasn't who she pretended to be. "Interesting," she mused, "not only is he cute, but, astute as well."  
  
Just then a strong chill jolted through her body and she became slightly light headed. She glanced to the side and used her peripheral vision to try to see if anyone was following her. But no one was there. The girl closed her eyes and smirked and continued to walk until she reached a tall building next to an ally way. She walked towards the building and leaned against it with her arms folded and her right leg hiked up against it the wall.  
  
"You're getting clumsy, I sensed you almost a mile away," she said mockingly. She closed her eyes and heard soft footsteps coming from down the ally and began to draw closer. When the footsteps stopped, Yumi looked up and saw a short, beautiful girl with deep red eyes with golden flecks running through them. Her skin was a pale yellowish peach color, and her hair, which was spiked, curved downward to the base of her neck (like Nagi and Ryoko's hair combined) and looked as though it were on fire.  
  
"I'm not clumsy," said the girl softly, "it's just that I had to compensate for your poor senses by stepping loudly and raising my ki so that even the lowest spiritually aware person can feel it you fool." The girl smiled menacingly at yumi.  
  
"Awww Ran, I missed you too!" Yumi said as if she was talking to a baby, "and look, my little friend has even adorned her hair with tear gems for our little visit. You're starting to look like a young lady now. I'm sooo proud of you! You really must've missed me to go through all the trouble Ran." She knew how much Ran hated for people to make fun of her short stature. She was always very sensitive about that subject and would readily beat the shit out of anyone who brought it up, let alone who made fun of her. Luckily, Yumi knew that Ran could never lay a hand on her.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, you over cheery bitch. I neither missed you nor do I enjoy your company. I'm only here because I was ordered to look after you in this world. His highness doesn't want anything to happen his precious future sex toy. You understand." She ended bitterly.  
  
Yumi rolled her eyes in disgust, "so he sent you?" Ran closed her eyes and lifted her head. An expression suspiciously close to pride crossed her features.  
  
"Well of course. I am a truly exceptional warrior, spy and sorceress," a loud dramatic yawn disrupted Ran's self praising. Her eyes opened to find Yumi's eyes closed nearly half asleep. Yumi's eyes fluttered open and she saw ran giving her a steely look.  
  
"oh, I'm sorry," yumi put up both of her hands as if trying to keep ran from attacking, "it's just that hearing you blow sunshine up your ass really makes me sleepy," she said with an innocent smile planted on her face.  
  
"In any case, since I'm the closest thing you have to an actual friend that you have, he thought that my being here would be the best thing for you."  
  
"Hmph! Do as you like, just stay out of the way and try not to be seen."  
  
"Speaking of being seen," ran's eyes glanced up towards the top of a parallel skyscraper, "do you sense him?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry, that's just suuichi," yumi said nonchalantly.  
  
"Just suuichi? Who the hell is that?"  
  
"Someone form school who sensed that I was different,"  
  
"This could be dangerous, let me take care of him," ran readied herself to phase up to the top of the parallel building, but, Yumi's iron grip forestalled her.  
  
"No, I don't want him dead, not yet anyway. He interests me. Let me play with him for a while. You can have him when I'm done." She smiled secretly at ran.  
  
Ran shuddered, "ugh! I don't even want to know what you're planning. Do as you will, but, in the meantime I'll gather all the information I can on the Reikai Tentei." With that the girl phased into the darkness and yumi began to walk home.  
  
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssssssss (Kurama's point of view)  
  
The meeting had ended late. Kurama had told the group about someone he'd suspected to be involved but that further investigation was needed. After a few other odds and ends were taken care of the group had disbanded.  
  
Kurama, who had been walking home, caught the scent of the demon world, of makai and yumi? Just then he started to hear footsteps coming from behind him. "Hmmm, speak of the devil," kurama thought to himself. He built up his energy and leapt on top of a building. He jumped higher and higher on to different buildings until he reached the top of a skyscraper. He looked down from the ledge of the building and noticed a slight figure walking down the street in his direction. The figure walked out of the shadows and he saw that it was, indeed, Yumi.  
  
Kurama sniffed the air again and caught the scent of makai again, only this time the scent was stronger. However, the scent wasn't coming from Yumi; it was coming from someone else. He looked back down and saw that Yumi had stopped by an ally way that another person with fiery hair had emerged from the shadows. The two seemed to be conversing, though about what he couldn't hear. "Curious," he thought, "but the scent of Makai wasn't coming from either of them."  
  
"So is that the suspect that you spoke of?" Kurama turned slightly at the sound of a male voice. It was hiei. The little fire demon had been following kurama for some time.  
  
"Yes, the one with the dark hair," the two girls had walked away from each other.  
  
"Who's the other one?"  
  
"I don't know, but, the scent of makai is filling the air,"  
  
"Well it's not from those two; we are not alone. Someone's been following you ever since you left the meeting."  
  
*Clap* Clap* Clap*  
  
The two demons whipped around and found a woman with long black hair and cold grey eyes sitting across from them on an AC filtration unit. "Well done hiei, you know, you're the only one who has ever caught me when I was spying."  
  
"I'm touched, now who the hell are you, and more importantly, how the hell do you know my name?" Asked hiei  
  
The woman phased off of the unit and reappeared three feet in front of them. "I'm the one you all have been looking for, I am called Kai. As for how I know who you are," the woman tossed her long black hair behind her shoulders revealing very provocative clothing. She wore a black leather cat suit which was very low cut and showed off much of her cleavage. She smiled seductively at hiei as she looked him up and down, "Mmmm, well all I can say is that you intrigue me. Ever since you summoned the power of my black dragon from the pits of spirit world, I made sure to find out who you were. I know everything about you hiei." The girl finished breathlessly.  
  
Hiei was stunned, not by the woman's blatant seduction, but by what she had said, "Your black dragon?"  
  
The girl chuckled, "why of course. That maneuver only works by summoning the dark dragon. That particular dragon is a black dragon, my respective dragon. You're the only man that I know of who ever summoned the dark dragon and lived, that's why I had to see you."  
  
"So what, may I ask, are your plans?" asked Kurama. The woman's gaze flew to kurama.  
  
"You mean am I going to kill you now?"  
  
"Hn!"  
  
"You needn't worry," her seductive gaze fell once again on hiei, "I'm not going to fight you now. But, be warned, the next time we meet; it won't be for idle chit chat. The next time we meet, I want to feel your true power hiei. I don't want you to hold back."  
  
"Don't worry wench, the next time we meet, I won't hold anything back."  
  
"Hmmm," she placed her fingers gently on her soft, pink, glossed lips and blew a kiss of black flames towards hiei which singed his cheek. He didn't even flinch as the flames scorched his cheek. "Until our next meeting then," with that black flames consumed her and she disappeared.  
  
"Well hiei it looks as if you have an admirer," kurama teased  
  
"Shut up fox,"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well that's it for now, the chapter was originally longer than this but I just decided to make it two chapters instead. The next chapter will be with Kurama and Yumi, the investigation will finally begin. And there will be a special visit from one sadistic black haired woman, look out hiei. So good bye for now, hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
p.s. thank you silith chibibi for reviewing. At least I know that someone is reading. 


	5. The Investigation

Sorry this came so late. I've barely had any time to type, but don't worry; I have the next three chapters already written.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Saturday: Kiate's cafe  
  
"Do you mind if I join you?" Yumi looked up from the book she was reading and saw Suuichi standing before her. The girl smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"Of course not, please sit,"  
  
Suuichi sat across from her. She took the time to study him. This was the first time she had seen him without his school uniform on. He wore black slacks and a midnight blue button down shirt, that he wore slightly open which revealed a black shirt underneath. He really is beautiful; it was unfortunate, for their paths lay in opposite directions.  
  
A waitress had made her way to the table. "May I take your orders?"  
  
Yumi was snapped out of her reverie, "oh yes, um... I'll have some tea with an order of tea cakes please; would you like anything Suuichi? My treat!" She said cheerfully.  
  
"If you insist, I will also have the green tea." The waitress took down the orders and walked away.  
  
Yumi discretely watched him again while he was ordering, wondering what he thought he knew about her. While they had talked at school, she sensed that he knew that she was different, as if he knew who she really was. She knew that he had been following her that night; in fact, she had reveled in the fact that he had been so bold and so perceptive. He was an intriguing one, and somehow, she sensed that he most definitely wasn't what he seemed. He became aware of her staring at him; she simply smirked at him, admiring his perceptive nature once again.  
  
"So yumi, tell me where you are from," kurama asked.  
  
She seemed thrown by the question. So you're trying to figure me out already hmmm, she thought. "Oh I thought you knew I was from Kyoto. My parents died a long time ago and I was raised by a shrine maiden by the name of Hitomi."  
  
"What shrine did she come from?"  
  
"A shrine dedicated to Shin Ryuushi," she looked at suuichi's expression as she told him about the shrine.  
  
"A shrine dedicated to a dragon? Interesting." So she comes from a background of dragon worshipers, this is too coincidental, he thought. She must be involved.  
  
"I take it you're against such beliefs," she said with evil smirk.  
  
"On the contrary, I believe in such things. Supernatural occurrences happen everyday all around us, no doubt these things are caused by supernatural beings, dragons, demons, devils, which ever you prefer to call them," he looked pointedly at her.  
  
Her smile widened as she stared at him head on, "you're absolutely right, I agree with you 100%" she said secretively; suuichi smiled back at her. She placed her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you were accusing me of something."  
  
"What on earth could I possibly be accusing you of?" Kurama asked nonchalantly. Even though he didn't express any emotions externally, he was really quite amused with this little exchange. She really was smart, and she knew how to play the game a characteristic in women that the Yoko in him adored. It was quite obvious that she was leading him on. Interesting, he thought, I wonder what you truly know.  
  
"I have no earthly clue," she said with a lazy look in her eyes. Kurama stared into her eyes; she was so familiar to him somehow; the way she joked, the color of her eyes and the hint of amusement and wealth of knowledge and secrets hidden in their depths.  
  
"Who are you are you," he wondered to himself. I'm enjoying myself too much, he thought, I'd better stop this game before I forget what I am really here to do.  
  
"Tell me about that torque you're wearing," he said, changing the subject.  
  
Yumi was snapped out of her playful mood by his question; my torque, she thought. She looked at him squarely, with no emotions visible on her face. He truly must know something. She quickly planted a smile on her face to keep up her charade. "This is just an heirloom that Hitomi-san gave me when I left her," she fingered the heavy garnet stone in the torque, "it's said to protect its wearer from evil by sucking the life out of any being that poses a threat to them. Beautiful, don't you think Suuichi?" She said pointedly, looking him dead in the eyes.  
  
"Yes, beautiful and dangerous. I have noticed throughout my years of living that there are many beautiful things in this world that are dangerous, wouldn't you agree?" he asked, meeting her challenging gaze.  
  
A slow smile spread across her face, "absolutely," was all she said.  
  
Kurama's thoughts headed back to the other night when he saw yumi meet the strange women in the ally. Hiei had warned him about getting entangled with her~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"She'll be different from those other foolish ningen girls that follow you about all day, it'll be difficult for you to pump the information out of her, and who knows, your pretty boy charms may not work on her. She'd likely to be a challenge, even for you." Hiei knew that he had hit the mark when he saw the kitsune's eyes narrow slightly. Kitsune's were very vain and believed that they could have any woman or man they desired. "Hn! She might wind up ensnaring you Kurama."  
  
"I don't get ensnared," the fox in him had risen to the challenge.  
  
Perhaps hiei had a point, he was intrigued by her, but, he would not fall for her traps. If anyone would be ensnared it would be her. The waitress had returned with their food. Yumi's eyes had lit up when she saw the food. She thanked the waitress and took a bite of the tea cake and her eyes rolled back in ecstasy, "this cake is incredible! I love this café!" She said enthusiastically. All traces of the mysterious challenger were gone and all that was left was her guise of the innocent school girl. Kurama followed her lead and took a bite of the cake.  
  
"Indeed, this is delicious; no wonder it is a popular restaurant." He said, all traces of Yoko kurama disappearing from his mood. The two sat in silence, enjoying their snacks. Yumi would occasionally look out of the café window, staring at the scenery. Kurama watched her from beneath lowered lids. As he watched her, he felt a slight sense of comfort overcome him. He also sensed that it was from her presence that this comfort came from being in her presence. He couldn't place it, but, her presence felt so familiar to him some how. He stopped looking at her, trying to will the feelings of comfort from his mind, and began to focus on other methods to continue observing her activities. Suddenly an idea presented itself. "Yumi," he said, breaking the silence between them. She looked up from the teacup she was drinking from, "I was wondering if you would like to attend a carnival with me,"  
  
Yumi nearly spit out the tea she was drinking, "you mean like a date!" she said surprised that he would ask her so suddenly.  
  
Kurama chuckled to himself, "so it starts," he thought to himself. Another addition to the army of his female admirers. "No, not like a date, I just have some friends that would really like to meet you, and I think you'll find them interesting as well." He said  
  
"Well, I've never been to a carnival before, I'd love to go, and I'd love to meet your friends as well,"  
  
"Excellent," this way, the others will be able to check her out, and if she tries to manifest herself, we'll all be there to stop her, he thought.  
  
The waitress had come back with their check; she made a dramatic yawn as yumi paid the woman. "Interesting, there is hardly anyone here, this place was packed when we first got here."  
  
Kurama looked around the café and noticed that they were like the only ones left in the café. The only other group of people left in the café was barely awake, three people were asleep in their food and two others were well on their way. The waitress and chef behind the counter were nearly dead on their feet as well. "Yes, it was," interesting, he thought.  
  
"Are you ready to go suuichi?" yumi was already out of her chair and ready to go.  
  
"Yes, let's go,"  
  
Hiei jumped through the trees of the dark forest, tracking down the energy signal he had sensed from the demon Kai. He had, since the night before, decided that he'd be damned if he sat around waiting for someone to hunt him down. The signal grew stronger and stronger the deeper he ran into the forest. Suddenly he came to a clearing with a hot spring in the center of it. "She's here," the steam from the spring made it difficult to see clearly, but, he could barely make out a silhouette in the middle of the spring. As if by command, the steam began to clear, revealing a naked Kai standing with her back turned facing him, in the center of the hot spring. Her back was covered with tattoos of two dueling black dragons. The larger and dominant one was obviously the dark dragon he summoned.  
  
Kai turned to face Hiei, giving him a full view of all of her assets. Hiei's right eyebrow rose as he stared Kai up and down, "Nice tattoo," he said mockingly.  
  
Kai smiled seductively at him, "yours isn't bad either." She said nodding her head towards his bandaged right arm, the arm which held the tattoo of the dark dragon.  
  
"Hn, I saw a ningen movie like this once. It had the same scenery as this; you know a hot spring and a naked whore with snake tattoos all over her body standing in the spring, much like you are now. Don't tell me those dragons are going to start moving on your body and coming out of other hidden cavities?"  
  
Kai cocked up her eyebrows, "I assure you hiei that that will not happen here."  
  
"Oh darn," he said sarcastically, "that bitch was actually entertaining. Well since you have nothing to offer me, I guess I'll ill you now."  
  
With that hiei began to raise his spirit energy to launch an attack. When he was powered up, he drew his sword and charged towards Kai. When he got close enough to attack, he noticed that black dragon wings had appeared from behind her back. The wings were coming from the tattoo on her back. Hiei performed a lateral cut along Kai, but, before his blade could enter her flesh, it made contact with the black wings and broke. Stunned, hiei jumped back to witness the transformation her body was going through. The wings began to wrap around her body forming a type of clothing.  
  
"DRAGON ARMOR!!!" she cried before black flames began to consume her. When the flames died down, Kai had on a tight, long, black coat that only buttoned at her waist and flared towards her feet and tight black pants with tall high heeled boots. The entire outfit looked like it was made out of black dragon scales.  
  
"What the hell," hiei said in awe as he watched Kai.  
  
She began to laugh at the shocked expression on his face, "you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into Hiei." She said as a dark blackish purple aura began to surround her body.  
  
To be continued.  
  
End of chapter 5, next chapter, hiei vs. Kai. Finally the action is here!!! And maybe a little s and m.  
  
Ok I will probably have the next chapter up next week I already have the next three chapters written, it's just hard for me to find time to type them. But, some more reviews would encourage me to post these chapters up faster. Alrighty then, tchao! 


	6. Kai versus Hiei

Chapter 5: Kai versus Hiei  
  
"What the hell," hiei said as he watched Kai transform into her dragon armor. When the transformation was finished, Kai walked towards Hiei seductively.  
  
"Well, what do you think Hiei?"  
  
"Hn, you look like a common street tramp,"  
  
She smiled at his last comment, "oh my, such harsh words," she chided, "you really shouldn't speak that way to your executioner,"  
  
Kai crouched down slightly and brought her fists up to her sides in a fighting stance. A blackish purple aura began to surround her body. It was then that hiei realized that she was powering up for an attack. As her energy began to skyrocket, the scenery around her began to darken ominously, and the moon began to dim.  
  
"Do you honestly think that I'll sit here and wait for you to power up?!" hiei's fists began to glow as they were engulfed by fire. "Double fist of the mortal flame!!!" Hiei lunged towards Kai and punched her rapidly with his flame. Her entire body became engulfed by the flame as he jumped back and threw a ball of fire at her already smoldering body.  
  
Kai screamed as she fell to the ground, her body making crackling noises in the night. "Hn," hiei was about to turn and walk away when, suddenly, he heard Kai's mocking laughter.  
  
"Oh Hiei," she said teasingly. He turned to find Kai standing up, parallel to him, with not even a scratch or burn on her body.  
  
"But...how?"  
  
Kai suddenly disappeared, and then reappeared, just as quickly, right in front of him. "BLACK DRAGON WHIP!!!" Kai shouted as black flames engulfed her right hand, materializing into a black whip. Shocked by how fast she could move, hiei jumped away in an attempt to dodge her attack, but, Kai, already knowing his motive, lashed her whip out towards him. The whip stung hiei as it wrapped around his entire body while still in mid air. With a firm tug, Kai sent him crashing back down to the ground head first.  
  
Hiei looked up from the ground at Kai who was about three meters away from him, "Hn, some attack," he said flippantly.  
  
Kai smiled coldly at him, "yes, some attack indeed. FURY WHIPS!" Suddenly, the whips began to separate and multiply into at least ten separate whips that weren't attached to hiei. Each whip hovered in the air for a while, as if trying to build up fear and anticipation in hiei, and then attacked, lashing and tearing away at his flesh. Each whip had spikes and metal hooks covering their length which allowed the massive amounts of hiei's flash to be ripped out of him. Satisfied with her attack and with hiei's screams of pain, she released him and retracted her whip. Hiei fell to the ground soaking in blood and in excruciating pain.  
  
What's going on, Hiei thought, my katana won't cut her, my flames won't burn her and she's even faster than I am. Hiei waged a mental battle with himself, there's only one attack left to use. He had no other choice, if he wanted to walk out of this fight alive.  
  
Kai watched him struggling to get up on his feet, hmmm, persistent aren't you, she thought. "Aww, poor hiei was stung by my wittle bitty whip. And here I thought you were going to show me something new. Her voice began to grow louder, "I thought you were going to make me feel it! Use your dragon hiei! Show it to me!! GIVE IT TO ME!!!"  
  
Hiei's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, "you want it?" His jagan eye had begun to glow under the bandana. He reached up and removed the band from his eye, "very well then bitch, ill make you feel it," (oh hiei, you're so lewd ^_^) his entire body became engulfed in black flames. He reached out his right hand, and a ball of pink energy formed in it, "DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!!!!" The dragon ripped away from hiei's right arm with a deafening roar and charged towards Kai. She watched the whole thing as the dragon charged towards her, she didn't even move an inch. When the dragon was about a foot away, she smiled evilly at him. The dragon crashed into her and seemed to devour her in black flames and lightening. "Hn!" hiei said as he heard her piercing screams of pain.  
  
Hiei tried to walk away, but, instead, he fell to his knees in agony. Even though he had defeated Kai, she had still caused him severe damage. "I'll rest here, until I get my strength back," he said breathlessly.  
  
"Rest?" said a female voice behind him. Hiei jolted up, it can't be, he thought. He turned around to see Kai smoldering in black flames and electricity, "WHAT THE—the dragon of darkness flame," hiei was In complete shock as he saw the dark dragon hovering around Kai almost lovingly. "How can you rest when our battle has not even ended yet?"  
  
"It's...it's impossible!"  
  
Kai smiled darkly at hiei," I told you hiei, I'm the dragon keeper of the black dragon, and the dragon of darkness flame comes form a black dragon, which means that I control it. So don't think that you can pull that little maneuver you did with Bui on me, because I assure you that the dragon will not obey you any longer, at least, not while I'm here.  
  
"Sorry I made you think that you had the upper hand, but, it was well worth it, having seen the expression on your face. It's priceless! Now I will show you how to truly use this power," Kai raised her arms and the dragon flames twisted and turned around her, "goodbye hiei, you did give me some pleasure, but in the end, I guess you were just too weak,"  
  
Hiei's mind began racing, is this really how I'm going to die? Thought of all of his friends and all of the moments he spent with them raced through his mind, they'll never know what they mean to me, Yukina...she'll never know that I am her brother! An image of each friend, Yukina, Kurama, Yusuke, Genkai, even Botan, Kuwabara, and Keiko flashed through his mind. "Good bye...my friends," suddenly, a blinding light flashed behind Hiei.  
  
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!!!"Another female voice rang through the air. Kai froze in the midst of her attack, with fear and respect showing in her eyes.  
  
"It's...you..." Kai whispered in reverence. Hiei turned his head to see who it was who had rescued him and had struck fear into Kai. The blinding light surrounding the being prevented him form seeing her. All he saw was the glowing color of her eyes, a deep garnet. Suddenly, hiei's vision began to blur and he felt extremely light headed. He was still bleeding from Kai's last attack and weak from using the dragon of darkness flame, the toll of the two were causing him to pass out.  
  
"Yes, it is me, and if you care one inkling for your life, you'll do as I say," said the soft but powerful voice. It was the last thing hiei heard before passing out.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Well, who was that? What's going to happen to Hiei? Why is Kai so sadistic?! All this and more will be answered in the next chapter...well...not really. But anyway, the next chapter will be "The Carnival...Hiei's Fate,"  
  
p.s. By the way, hiei fans, don't stone me. I know it was cruel of me to get hiei hurt but it was necessary. Trust me, he benefits greatly from it in later chapters ^-^  
  
Oh yeah thank you Dark Prince of the Sun for reviewing, you have renewed my eagerness to write!! 


	7. The CarnivalHiei's Fate

Chapter 8: The Carnival...Hiei's Fate part 1  
  
Hiei lay sprawled in the dirt. His entire body was covered in blood. His life was leaving him. He had only one breath left in his body. "Yukina," he whispered as his life faded away...  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Yukina rose up from her futon screaming. It was the same dream; the same one that haunted her for three nights now. Every time she closed her eyes, that image popped into her head, hiei covered in blood, dying. Tears began to fall from her eyes at the thought of Hiei's death. He had been missing for some time now and no one knew of his whereabouts, not even Kurama. "Something must be wrong, he must be hurt or in danger," she thought.  
  
Kurama, Yusuke, and Botan came running into the room. "Yukina, what happened," asked kurama. Just as Yukina was about to answer, she was interrupted by Kuwabara's shouting. He was trying to cut through everyone to reach her.  
  
"Hey! Watch it you big idiot!" said Yusuke as Kuwabara stepped on his foot. When Kuwabara finally reached her, he took her hands in his.  
  
"Don't worry Yukina, everything's alright; your brave man is here."  
  
"I'm sorry to have disturbed you all; I just had a nightmare, that's all."  
  
"A nightmare? Must've been one hell of a nightmare," said Yusuke.  
  
"This is the third time that I've had this dream," she paused for a moment and closed her eyes, "I think hiei is in danger."  
  
"What the shrimp, don't worry baby, he can take care of himself," said Kuwabara  
  
"Kuwabara's right Yukina, I've known Hiei for a long time now and he's a survivor. There's no need to worry," said Kurama.  
  
"But, he's been missing for three days! He's never been gone for that long before. And in my dream, he's covered in blood and dying!!" more tears began to stream down her cheeks, "what if he really is in trouble and my dreams are some kind of warning? He could die!"  
  
Kurama looked down into Yukina's tear streaked face. Even though he wouldn't admit it to her, she had a point. Hiei never disappeared for this long and to top it off, they were targets for the dragon keepers. Even he had begun to worry about hiei. But, he couldn't tell her this, so he lied, "Yukina, there is no nothing to worry about; hiei does this often. He goes off on his own and doesn't tell anyone his whereabouts or when he's going to return. Don't concern yourself with these thoughts; I assure you hiei will return soon."  
  
"I hope you're right." She said.  
  
"Will you be alright?" asked Botan.  
  
"Yes, don't worry about me," with that everyone except Kuwabara left the room. He looked down to watch Yukina. She was still shaken from the nightmare.  
  
"Man, that dream must've really tripped her up, maybe something did happen to the shrimp," he thought.  
  
"Kuwabara," she said with a shaky voice as she looked up into his eyes, "can you please tell the others that I won't be able to join them at the carnival tonight. I'm really not feeling up to it,"  
  
"Sure, do you want me to stay with you?" (A/N: I bet he would love that (^- ^))  
  
"No I'll be just fine, enjoy yourself tonight Kazuma," she forced a smile out to reassure him.  
  
in the meantime (the next room)  
  
"Kurama, are you sure that Hiei's alright? He has been gone for a while." Said yusuke.  
  
"I'm not sure, at first I thought his disappearance a bit odd, but, now with Yukina's dreams about his death, I'm worried."  
  
"Yes, and since they're twins, the bond between them is really strong. Yukina's dreams may not be dreams at all but a warning that her brother is in danger,"  
  
"Who's brother?" Kuwabara had walked in from Yukina's room and overheard the last bit of their conversation.  
  
"Uh...Uh..." Yusuke and Botan stammered simultaneously. They couldn't tell Kuwabara that Yukina was Hiei's sister.  
  
"No one Kuwabara, we were just talking about the girl I'm bringing to the carnival tonight." Said Kurama saving all of their hides.  
  
"Oh, what about her?" he asked.  
  
"She's the one that may be tied to the dragon keepers. I'm bringing her to keep an eye on her."  
  
"Ooohhh, are you sure you aren't bringing her for some other reason like to keep an eye on her ASS!" teased Yusuke as he poked Kurama in the ribs. He received a hard smack on the back of his head from Botan for that one.  
  
Kurama snorted slightly, "This is simply an investigation, nothing more."  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, Yukina said that she's not coming tonight," said Kuwabara.  
  
"That's probably for the best, it could be dangerous." Said Kurama.  
  
Later that night: at the spring carnival...  
  
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Yumi Nakamura," the gang: Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara and Botan stared at the newcomer. The girl stood about a half a head shorter than Kurama and wore an off the shoulder pink frilly shirt (like a peasant top) and a whit pleated mini skirt with some high heeled, white, backless sandals. Her long wavy brown hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.  
  
Everyone greeted her, "this can't be the demon Kurama was talking about, I can't feel any youki from her," he thought.  
  
"I'm happy to meet you all," she said enthusiastically.  
  
Keiko ran up to Yumi and looped her arm through the other girl's, "hi, I'm Keiko, I'm so glad to be meeting one of Suuichi's friends..." Keiko dragged Yumi off to engage in idle chit chat.  
  
Kurama watched Yumi talk to Keiko and Botan then Yusuke approached him. He was staring at Yumi with a blank expression on his face. "Uh...are you sure you're doing this for business and not pleasure? I mean I don't sense any youki from her and..."  
  
"And what," kurama asked  
  
"And she is damn hot," yusuke said with his eyes frozen on Yumi's butt.  
  
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be with Keiko you two timer?" kuwabara said.  
  
Kurama shook his head at his friend's lecherous actions, ''anyway, I know that we can't sense anything from her, but I'm almost certain that she has something to do with these new demons, even if she isn't a demon, she's connected to them." With that the boys rejoined the others and the group wandered off into the carnival to enjoy the various games and rides in their presence.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, on top of a hill overlooking the carnival, three demons looked down on the reikai tentei like hawks about to snatch up their helpless prey. The darkness of the night surrounded the demons like a shroud of death. Each pair of eyes gave off an ominous light. One pair gave off gold light, another gave off light blue light and the third gave off a reddish gold light. A female voice came form the reddish gold eyes, "she's down their, don't forget, make it look real and make it bloody. We want to give those fools of spirit world something to sweat about."  
  
The two other demons nodded, then the reddish gold eyes disappeared.  
  
"This going to be fun brother," said the one with the blue eyes.  
  
"Indeed sister," said the one with the gold eyes, "I've been waiting too long time for this day," the two began to laugh as they disappeared in an ominous fog.  
  
back to the group  
  
Kurama had disengaged himself and Yumi from the group and brought her into the enclosed Ferris wheel (like the one Kagome was in on the first ending of Inuyasha). As they rose above the city, Yumi looked down at the scenery in awe. It had been a while since she had had this much fun. Her life had been so strict and filled with so many obligations that she didn't have time to play or have fun. She looked over at suuichi who had been admiring the same view as she was.  
  
"I've never really had any real friends either," she thought "these people," she thought of her new acquaintances, Kuwabara, Keiko, Yusuke, Botan and Suuichi, they were the first people she had spent time with for enjoyment since the disappearance and death of her only friends. We were once like this, the three of us, like Suuichi and his friends. We had fun...once...  
  
Kurama looked over at Yumi; she had been staring at him for sometime now. He had noticed her through hi peripheral vision that her expression had changed from one of happiness and enjoyment to one of sadness and loneliness. She seemed to be lost in her memories. "What is it Yumi," he asked, curious as to what had caused this sudden change in her.  
  
She looked up in surprise; she hadn't known that she had been so apparent with her emotions. "Oh, it's nothing, I was just thinking about," she hesitated and looked down at her hands in her lap.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's just that this is the first time in a long time that I've had fun. I don't have many friends...the only friends that I had have been out of my life for a long time now. They were sisters, the youngest one was killed, and the other, she disappeared sometime after that. It's been so long since I've had companions, and seeing you with your friends just makes me think of them."  
  
"I had no idea, I'm sorry for your loss,"  
  
"Don't worry about it that was a long time ago."  
  
Kurama watched Yumi as she spoke about her past. He didn't know exactly what it was but, he really felt close to her, like this was not their first meeting together. Everything about her was familiar, her eyes, her face, her expressions, everything. Even now, even after he knew that she was possibly linked to the enemy, he felt at ease around her.  
  
Suddenly, a loud BOOM echoed through the air. The entire area, including the Ferris wheel shook. Fire and rubble flew through the air as the explosions continued. "What's going on!?!" yumi said frightfully.  
  
"What indeed," kurama said as he cast a suspicious glance towards Yumi. Another explosion occurred near the Ferris wheel causing it to begin to tip over. Yumi screamed as she fell into Kurama. "We have to get out of here before we are killed!" said Kurama. He grabbed her wrist and opened the door of the compartment leading outside. They were really high up. "We are going to have to climb down," shouted Kurama. The screams from the frantic crowd as well as the explosions were making it nearly impossible to hear. The two began to climb down the massive wheel, Kurama first and then Yumi. Another explosion sounded through the air, rumbling the already tilting wheel. "What on earth could be causing this," thought Kurama.  
  
"HEY!!! You stupid demons!! Why don't you come down here and fight instead of cowering up there!" Yusuke was screaming at the two cloaked figures that sat on top of a freshly ruined building. The two had come out of no where and had begun decimating the area, destroying everything and everyone in their paths. "Show yourselves!!" he shouted.  
  
"As you wish human filth," said the female voice. The two removed their black cloaks and removed themselves. They were a boy and a girl and they looked somewhat alike except for their hair skin and eye color. The boy who looked as if he were in his mid twenties and was about 6 ft tall had long, green hair, the color of grass, which was pulled back in a low ponytail that hung just below his shoulders. Although his hair was pulled back, many shorter strands hung about in his handsome face. His skin was a dark bronze color which highly contrasted his striking gold eyes. He smiled jovially, revealing his extremely sharp fangs, and winked at Botan cockily. The girl was slightly shorter and looked as though she was in her early twenties. She had wavy light blue hair that hung to her shoulders and ice blue eyes with golden flecks running through them. Her skin was pale, almost bluish in color. Yusuke stared at this woman for some time, finally muttering "...Jun...Pei..."  
  
Now was that a cliff hanger or what. Sorry it's taking me so long to update but college is a bitch, I actually had a 30 page paper due last week. Anyways, the next chapter will be the conclusion of the carnival, hiei will be...found; secrets will be revealed to kurama and Yumi and a battle with an army of half snake half humanoid demons are going to give our group hell.  
  
Will try to update soon. 


	8. the carnivalHiei's fate part2

This is a special one, it's over 3000 words. Sorry for the wait, but, here it is. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 7 pt 2: The carnival...Hiei's fate  
  
"Jun...Pei..." Yusuke whispered in shock. A chilling smile slowly crept across her features.  
  
"So, you do remember your dearly departed old teacher. I truly do love to leave an impact on my students,"  
  
"I can't believe it, she's alive, and she's one of them!" said Kuwabara in complete shock  
  
"That's right Kuwabara, Yusuke and Keiko, I am a dragon keeper, and my brother Cheng Pei and I are going to give you a night that you'll never forget."  
  
The two demons began to emit a mixture of green and blue energy. Keiko held on tightly to Yusuke's arm in fear of the impending attack. "Wait Jun! Why are you doing this? Why are you fighting with the enemy?!" Yusuke shouted.  
  
Jun chuckled slightly, amused at Yusuke's and the others naïveté. "You really don't get it do you. I never was attacked you moron, it was a set up from the very beginning!"  
  
"WHAT!" both Kuwabara and Yusuke said in unison.  
  
"But why? I don't understand," Yusuke gritted out through clenched teeth. He was extremely angry. The teacher he was trying to avenge turned out to be his true enemy. He and his friends and the whole freakin' school were played like a damn violin from hell and she was the violinist. She had used him, used them all! But, for what purpose?! To what end?! What was she trying to do?!! Yusuke's thoughts were interrupted by Jun Pei's cynical laugh.  
  
"You really want to know...ask your boss." She said cryptically.  
  
"What, Koenma?"  
  
But, before Yusuke could inquire anymore, Jun pulled out an exotic flute that looked like it was made out of light blue crystal. It had silver dragons winding up and down its length. She began to play an exotic melody which gave everyone a disillusioned heady feeling. Strange slithering sounds began to emanate form around them.  
  
"What the hell is that," Kuwabara asked. He didn't have to wait long to find out. Hundreds of cloaked figures began to emerge from the shadows.  
  
"This is not good," said Yusuke.  
  
Kurama and Yumi had stopped running through the crowds as they heard the melodious flute playing its exotic song. "What is that?" Yumi asked Kurama. He ignored her question as he felt a dramatic increase of Youki.  
  
"They must be making their move, just as I expected," Kurama thought. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Yumi's screams as well as the screams from the screams coming from the crowds. An army of cobra like beings with arms and bodies as big as a human's surrounded the area. The demons began to attack the crowds viciously. Blood and limbs flew all over the place.  
  
"Oh my god!! What are we going to do?!" She said in complete horror at what she was witnessing.  
  
Kurama glared at her, "determined to play the part to the very end aren't you," he thought. With a low growl he grabbed her arm and they made a run for it. He had to get away from all of this chaos if he was going to reach Yusuke and the others. When they finally escaped the stampeding crowd Yumi slumped down on her knees in fright and exhaustion. Kurama ignored her. Even though he believed she was part of the dragon keepers plot he had to save her back their. This was mainly because he didn't have any real proof that she was one of them. For all he knew she could just be an exotic looking human, however that was highly unlikely. In any case he couldn't let her be a casualty without proof that she was indeed their enemy.  
  
Kurama was about to get her up when he heard some hissing noises coming near. About twenty serpent demons came from around the corner. One of them jumped towards Kurama. He parried the demon's attack and then slammed the palm of hand up under the demon's chin. There was an audible "crack" that could only mean that the demon's neck and jaw had been crushed. After that, he flipped the demon over his shoulder and threw him across to the other serpents. "Would you all care for more?" inquired kurama in a soft but deadly voice. With that all of the demons lunged towards Kurama. In an excellent show of martial arts, he took out three serpents in one move: right uppercut, roundhouse, elbow combination. The uppercut smashing one of the demon's skull from the bottom on up; the roundhouse, breaking the other demon's neck; and the elbow move breaking the third demon's ribs causing major internal bleeding and damage. The rest of the demons surrounded him, making the fight somewhat difficult without the use of his powers. "Wherever you are Yusuke, I hope you are faring better than I am,"  
  
Keiko screamed out as a serpent coiled around her, "Keiko!!!!" Yusuke screamed as he ran towards him with his reiki growing around his fists. He smashed his fists into the demon multiple times causing it to split apart and fall to the ground. Kuwabara and Botan had their hands full keeping the dozens of demons from killing them: Kuwabara, slashing with his spirit sword and Botan, beating back the demons with her oar.  
  
The two dragon keepers were watching the sight below them highly amused. "It doesn't seem as though they'll make it does it sister," said Cheng.  
  
"No it doesn't brother, what a shame." Jun said without a trace of sympathy.  
  
The fighters continued to battle through what seemed like an endless war; each one fighting with every once of strength they possessed. For each demon they took out it seemed like five more took its place. The infinite wave of demons pressed more and more against the group until finally Yusuke had had enough. "Forget this shit!!!" he pulled his fist back into his side and began building up his reiki. "SHOT GUN!!!" he shouted as he released a huge blast of energy. The blinding blue energy, which had accumulated around his fist, divided into hundreds of energy bullets that spayed, scattered and eradicated the unfortunate demons in their path.  
  
Both Jun and Cheng jumped up in shock when they saw 1/3 of their demon army splattered on the ground. "This one is strong," said Cheng, "it would be wise if don't underestimate him."  
  
"We have had enough fun for now; let's leave them to deal with the rest of this prattle," said Jun. With that both Jun and Cheng disappeared.  
  
"Hey Urameshi, Jun and that other creep just disappeared," said Kuwabara.  
  
"Who cares, look I'm gonna finish off these creeps, you and Botan get Keiko out of here and try to find Kurama."  
  
"Yusuke, don't be foolish," Keiko said as she ran up to him clinging to his arm. "I'm not going to leave you alone, I'm not going to loose you again." Yusuke smiled at his girlfriend, she really did care about him.  
  
"Listen to me Keiko, I'm not going anywhere. You and me, we're going to be together for a long time 'kay,"  
  
"Promise me you won't die," she pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears.  
  
He smiled gently, "I promise Keiko," he said as he brushed his hand against her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. She backed away from him and sat next to Botan on her oar. Kuwabara held on to the wedge of the oar.  
  
"Hold on tight everyone," Botan announced before she took of. The three of them flew off leaving Yusuke to deal with the rest of the demons.  
  
"Alright you scaly ass demons, let's dance." Since Keiko and the others were with him, he had to check his power so that he wouldn't hurt them...but now...  
  
Yusuke began to screaming as he unleashed the full force of his power. A blinding blue light engulfed his body as well as the surrounding area. The ground began to tremble from the awesome power being displayed before it. The demons began to back away from Yusuke. "Where did this boy get all of this power," one demon said.  
  
Kurama and Yumi both had their hands full fighting demons. They had begun attacking Yumi after many of their comrades had fallen to Kurama's expert moves. Yumi had idly wondered how he learned to fight like that. Every one of his moves were perfectly executed, it was as if he had been fighting for an entire lifetime. Suddenly, a demon lunged at her attempting to deliver a roundhouse to her head. "Hn, stupid," she thought to herself. She caught the demon while still in midair and threw him to the ground. When he landed she jumped on him and smashed her fist into his throat. The blow wasn't strong enough to show and external damage but, internally, his entire throat was turned to mush.  
  
Another demon came from behind her. Almost instinctively she turned around in time to catch his fist. She smiled slightly at him just before punching him in the socket which connects the arm to the shoulder. The demon screamed out as his bones ripped through the back of his shoulder from the force of her blow. Kurama turned around to see her with the demon trapped in her grasp. She threw him forcefully down on the ground, leaving him writhing in pain.  
  
"Since when can a human girl over take two demons with hardly any effort," he thought to himself. The battle had continued until Yumi and Kurama had defeated, killed in Kurama's case, all but one demon. Kurama glared at the demon causing him to back away out of fear. The demon was about to turn and run until they backed into something very solid.  
  
The demon turned around to find the cheerful countenance of Cheng Pei smiling in his face. "And where do you think you're going?" he said in a pleasant voice. The demon seemed petrified that he had been caught by this man.  
  
"I...I... was,"  
  
"You were fleeing from battle? Tsk tsk tsk. My, aren't we a little coward." With that Cheng thrust his hand into the demon's chest. The demon's knees buckled under the intense pain of the blow. Cheng let his hand slide from out of the demon's chest; blood was left down the length of his hand after he removed it. Cheng looked up from the fallen victim and smiled at Kurama and Yumi.  
  
"Sorry about that, the one thing that just absolutely frizzles my brain is a coward," the man talked to them as if he were a happy go lucky camp counselor who was as high as a kite.  
  
"Ok, this guy is too happy, he's freaking me out," said Yumi.  
  
"Yes, I find that especially shocking since he is bathed in the blood of his comrade." Said Kurama.  
  
"Well now, it seems as though we have a dilemma here; I've just killed your opponent and now you have no one to fight. Now what are we going to do about that?" he asked as if he were truly perplexed. He tilted his head as if deep I thought.  
  
Kurama was very leery of this new demon that had appeared. The demon, before he was slain, seemed especially frightened of this man. Kurama stayed on Guard as he watched this all-to-happy demon and wondered what type of power he would display.  
  
Suddenly, Cheng's head popped up and he gasped, "I know, how about I be your opponent. Yes. The more I think about it the better it sounds. Well enough chit chat for now," his eyes began to glow and his eyebrows lowered giving him a darker visage, "let's fight," he raised his hands slightly from his sides and a gold aura surrounded his body. Kurama noticed that dark vine-like objects began to grow from out of Cheng's hand, "By, the way, just so you know, my name is Cheng," after he said that he screamed and the vines became sharp shards that looked like they were made out of black wood with red veins.  
  
Kurama gasped as he realized what it was Cheng was about to attack them with, "the kuro tree of makai," he thought, this tree was especially deadly especially if one was pierced by it. The poison of the bark could kill someone in a matter of hours and during that time the victim would be in excruciating pain.  
  
"Take this!!!" Cheng shouted as he threw the shards at them. Kurama grabbed Yumi and threw her away from the shards and then began dodging them himself. Having dodged all of the shards, Cheng smiled at him, "impressive, you're no ordinary fighter are you,"  
  
Yumi watched Suuichi as he dodged the deadly shards, "he's incredible," she thought. After Kurama had finished dodging the shards, she noticed that as Cheng spoke to him, the fallen shards were rising from the ground and were positioning themselves to attack Suuichi. "He doesn't know," she thought. Suddenly, the shards charged towards Kurama, "NO!!!" she screamed as she ran towards him.  
  
Kurama, not realizing what was going on turned around just as Yumi pushed him out of the way, "what the," he thought until he saw three shards rip through her body from behind her. "YUMI!!" He screamed as she fell. He ran up to her and caught her before she hit the ground, "you stupid girl," kurama whispered. Her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"I'm sorry, Suuichi," she said weakly.  
  
"Why did you do this?" he asked  
  
"I couldn't ... let...him..." she passed out without finishing. Kurama closed his eyes and laid her gently on the ground.  
  
"Wow, I really did think she'd do that, tough break man," Cheng said with a little chuckle.  
  
Kurama got up from the ground and stared stonily at Cheng. He reached into his hair and pulled out a seed. "You will pay for that," he said. A bright red light surrounded his body and Kurama's red hair started to streak with silver and his eyes began to glow gold. He screamed and the light engulfing him became too bright to see him. Cheng closed his eyes and winced in pain,  
  
"Man, was it something I said?"  
  
When the light finally dimmed Cheng saw a tall silver haired fox demon with gold eyes starring at him with a cold and deadly expression.  
  
"And just who are you supposed to be," asked Cheng sarcastically.  
  
Yoko smiled coldly, "Your executioner," with that Yoko's death tree sprouted from his hand and each branch flew towards Cheng; each trying to capture and devour him. Unfortunately, cheng proved to be too fast for the tree to catch. He dodged each branch with ease.  
  
"Hn, you're pretty good. TRY THIS!!" just as Cheng was about to attack, the ground beneath them trembled as a bright blue light, which came from about 1 mile away, lit up the area.  
  
"Yusuke," Kurama said.  
  
"Whoa, now that's power. Well as much as I'd like to stay and fight, I really ought to be going, especially since our whole damn army has just been eradicated," the last part Cheng said very low. "Man Jun is going to kill me," he thought.  
  
"You're not going anywhere!" kurama said as he launched his death tree at Cheng one last time, but before it could reach him Cheng waved merrily at Kurama and disappeared. "Damn!!!" kurama said.  
  
He looked towards Yumi, passed out on the ground. "She won't make it not unless..." Kurama, who was still in his Yoko form reached into his hair again and pulled out another seed, it sprouted into a pink flower with purple tips on each petal. The thylix, its petals will cure any poison in the bloodstream.  
  
He plucked off three petals, just to be safe and placed them under her tongue. "Live," he whispered to her as he smoothed her hair out of her face.  
  
Yusuke withdrew all of his reiki. It had surrounded and engulfed not only him but the entire demon army. When he withdrew his energy, all of the demons were disintegrated and all that was left of the area where his energy engulfed was a plane of ashes and blacked ruins.  
  
"Whew, they could've made their point some other way,"  
  
At Genkai's  
  
"HIEI!!!" Yukina awoke violently, once again from the same dream of Hiei's demise. She couldn't stand it any longer. She rose from her futon and ran from out of the temple into the dark forest. She ignored the threat of the deadly demons surrounding her. Something was pulling her, something was calling out for her; calling her to this forest.  
  
She came to a clearing with a hot spring across from it. She stopped running from exhaustion and sunk to her knees. Tears began to fall from her eyes at the thought of Hiei dying. She cried for the frustration she felt from not being able to find him.  
  
"...Yu...ki...na," a weak voice said. Yukina looked up wildly. Who was calling her? The voice sounded again. She looked around the area, but could see no one. "Who are you? Where are you?" she asked. The voice said her name again, only this time it was fainter. Suddenly, she saw a mound of something that resembled a human body. She ran towards it. She sank to her knees in front of the mound, it was a human body caked in leaves, dirt and dried blood. She looked closely at the body and when she saw the face a surge emotion welled up in her.  
  
"Hiei..." she said through her tears. She fell upon him sobbing. Hiei reached his hand up weakly and placed it on her back. Yukina looked up into his eyes which were semi-glazed over.  
  
He attempted to say something but the words came out choppy, "I...have to...tell...you..." she placed her finger on his mouth to silence him.  
  
"It's alright, everything is alright now," she closed her eyes and placed her hands on his abdomen. A golden aura surrounded her as she released every ounce of her energy and healing power into him. "Everything will be fine now, Hiei, you're going to live, I found you, and you're going to live."  
  
The two stayed like that for about three hours until Hiei was finally healed. When the healing process was finished, Yukina collapsed onto Hiei, exhausted from the whole ordeal and Hiei held her in his arms. This was the first time ever in his life that he felt loved, the first time in his life that he let his love show when he cradled his sister in his arms, "You're right, everything is alright now. Sleep now little sister, sleep."  
  
That's the end, whew that was a long chapter, but, don't worry, you all won't have to wait that long for the next update for a while because...this is my last week of school!!!! My finals end on Friday, which means that I'll have more time to write and update. YAY!!!!  
  
Ok, next chapter deals with Kurama and Yumi, a little visit from Ran and more surprises like true identities and feelings will be revealed as well.  
  
Also thanks for reviewing; I'm glad you like my story. 


	9. And her name is Shihiko

Hey I've been noticing that no one is reviewing; I still want you guys opinions so PLEASE review. Thanx...  
  
Alright here's chapter 9: And her name is Shihiko  
  
Yumi opened her eyes and took in her surroundings: she lay in a four poster bed with white linen bed sheets; a silk mosquito net covered the bed; across from her, outside of the net, was a huge mahogany bookshelf holding many books in different languages covering many different subjects. The wall that the bookshelf lay against, as well as the other walls, was a deep blush pink, like her eyes. "I'm home," she said silently. But how...  
  
She sat up in bed quickly and immediately felt a sharp stab of pain assail her in her back and behind her shoulder, near her heart. She looked down at herself and it was then that she realized that she was half naked. Her shirt was off as well as her brassiere and her back, chest and upper part of her left arm were all wrapped up in bandages.  
  
She looked to the side of her and noticed that on her vanity chair laid her tattered, torn and bloody garments. "That's right," she thought, "I injured myself saving Suuichi," she shook her head, "what in the world was I thinking?" she said softly to herself. Suddenly, the thought occurred to her that it must have been Suuichi who tended to her wounds and brought her here. She heard a slight sound come from the next room. She got up carefully and put on her black silk robe that "his highness," had given her as a love token. The robe had long deep sleeves that reached down to her calves and the back trailed behind her slightly. With her robe adorned she walked out of the room, her steps soft and careful so she wouldn't alert him if he was still there and more importantly so she wouldn't feel the pain in her back.  
  
As she rounded the corner from her bedroom and entered the den, she found Suuichi standing outside on the balcony overlooking the apartment courtyard below as well as the rest of the city. He had a good view, for they were on the 20th floor. When she approached him, he turned around from the balcony and just stared at her. Yumi stopped dead in her tracks as he turned and stared into her eyes. She could read nothing from his expression, but, as she looked into his eyes, she saw that something was troubling him; like he was waging an internal struggle deep within him. She knew he had finally come to some conclusion when his stone like features cracked into the smallest of smiles. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Kurama's P.O.V.  
  
He turned around and saw her coming towards him. When he saw her, he could do nothing but stare at her. She was wearing a black silk robe with long deep sleeves. The robe concealed her body, but her silhouette clung to fine material of the robe and left little to his imagination of what she looked like under the robe. As he stared at her a deep feeling of desire burned within him. The Yoko in him was hissing to take her in his arms to comfort and make love to her; hissing to unwrap her from her black silk cocoon and taste every inch of her beautiful body with unrestrained pleasure.  
  
It was then that he checked himself and his yearnings and tried to remember that it was she who was responsible for bringing this disaster down upon them, she was their enemy. A small voice whispered in his mind and said, "It was she who saved your life," he tried to ignore it by thinking that, if it weren't for her his life wouldn't need saving. She was the cause for the hundreds of people who were massacred today. The voice in his head retorted, "You don't really believe that do you, I know you don't, because I know that you don't want to believe it..." Kurama stopped with his tirade, unable to deny what the voice had said. It doesn't really matter what I want does it...  
  
With that, he snapped out of his internal war with himself and smiled slightly at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.  
  
She looked at him for a second, and blinked, as if not knowing what to say.  
  
"Thank you...for saving me," she said timidly. She held herself around her waist and looked down into her folded arms. She hadn't realized it earlier, but, she was a bit embarrassed that he had seen her naked. "Why am I acting like a shy school girl?" she thought to herself.  
  
"There is no need to thank me, after all, you were the one who saved my life first, I should be thanking you," he walked up to her and took her upper right arm gently in his hands and led her back into the den. He motioned for her to sit down on the cream leather couch in front of them. She sat and looked up at him. "I know that you're not who you say you are," he hesitated for a moment as he looked into her unusually colored eyes which softly gazed up into his, "it's no use lying anymore, we all know," Kurama watched her reaction and noticed that her expression had changed from on of shyness, to one of utter confusion as her eyebrows knitted together in a small frown.  
  
"Suuichi, what are you talking about?"  
  
"You know what I mean, your sudden appearance during this case, the attack on the carnival, your demonic eyes! Do you really think that you can fool me? Give yourself up to me, and maybe I can help you avoid your punishment," the words and accusations flew out of him, not in his usual calm and collected manner, but in a heated, passionate way.  
  
"Suuichi, you're scaring me, I really don't know what you're accusing me of!" she said a little roused.  
  
Her eyes looked troubled as he stared into them. He exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, "are you telling me the truth Yumi?"  
  
She looked up at him and then stood up carefully. She placed her right hand gently on his cheek and looked him in the eyes, "Yes," she said quietly. He brought his hand up to hers and held it.  
  
"For your sake...I hope you're right," he said mysteriously as a hint of gold shimmered through his emerald eyes. When Yumi saw his eyes change, a shiver of fear and...excitement ran down her spine.  
  
"Those eyes...I know those eyes..." she thought. He removed her hand gently from his face and released her.  
  
He walked to the door and whispered, "Farewell, Yumi," before he left.  
  
Yumi just stood there in the darkness of her apartment, stunned at what she had just seen. "Who are you Suuichi?" she whispered, her voice met only with the darkness of the night.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Yumi stared out over the city, from her balcony. It was almost 6 a.m.; the clouds on the horizon were beginning to lighten and turn from shades of midnight blue and black to bright orange and rose.  
  
A familiar scent filled the air around her. She sighed, exasperated from last night's events and Suuichi's new, more dangerous and mysterious, yet familiar behavior. She closed her eyes, "What do you want Ran?" she asked wearily.  
  
"Oh? What's this? No more smart remarks about my height or any other petty comments?" Ran said dryly. She emerged from the shadows of the balcony adorned in a tight, sleeveless, deep-red turtle neck that looked like it was made of leather and black leather pants. She also wore black gloves that came up to the middle of her upper arm, and black 3 in. heeled boots.  
  
"I'm not in the mood today Ran, say what you have to say and leave, your presence is not wanted here,"  
  
"Aww, your sour mood wouldn't be due to your little injuries would they, I told them to go easy on you, but, I forgot that you are such a weak thing," she said sarcastically.  
  
Yumi turned around slightly and looked at Ran as if she were out of her mind, "You ordered the attack?!!"  
  
Ran opened her arms up and planted a fake smile on her face, a move she knew that would piss Yumi off, "the one and only,"  
  
"ARE YOU INSANE!!!?" Yumi said. Her eyes transforming from their docile blush color to one which resembled the golden fires of hell.  
  
Ran blinked slowly and smiled mockingly, "My lady, you really should control your temper. You do look absolutely hideous when you're upset, eeeww." Ran teased.  
  
In move quicker than lightening Yumi grabbed Ran by her neck and brought her up to eye level. Her eyes had finished their transformation and were now the color molten gold. Her grip tightened around Ran's neck, "I ought to kill you right now," she raised her other hand up, which was now glowing with a strange white and gold aura, to Ran's face. Ran had watched this whole ordeal with a calm expression on her face; however, her eyes were now throwing sparks of gold like Yumi's were.  
  
"Calm yourself Shihiko," Yumi started at that name, "what? Have you forgotten who you are? A white dragon, THE white dragon Shihiko, born of the silver dragons Seishiro and Yuriko." Yumi retracted her energy and put Ran down. She turned her head to face the city again, "I did what I had to do to keep your identity a secret. As you said, that boy Suuichi was becoming suspicious of you. If I didn't make the attack look real, and if I told you about it, then he would've known it was a hoax. You should be thanking me right now,"  
  
Yumi, or Shihiko, since that is her true name, walked back to the balcony rail and stared out at the city again.  
  
Ran looked at her strangely, "she's acting weird," she thought but she shrugged it off and continued with her report. "Anyway, I have news for you. Remember how I told you that I was going to find out more about Koenma's flunkies. Well do I have news for you, it seems that your new found friends are all part of his reikai tentei."  
  
Shihiko closed her eyes as she heard the news, "It figures. The first group of people that I've had a good time with, since who knows when, turn out to be my enemies." She thought dispassionately. No wonder Suuichi cornered her.  
  
"Oh, and that's not all." Ran snapped Yumi out of her thoughts, "it seems that that boy Suuichi has a few secrets of his own. It seems that he was once a demon who was catapulted into a human body about 16 years ago." Shihiko still stared ahead, not responding to anything Ran was saying, "The best part about all of this is that he was once a legendary bandit. His name was Yoko Kurama,"  
  
Shihiko's head shot up and she gasped, "Yoko Kurama," she said with bated breath.  
  
Ran looked at her suspiciously, "yes, that was his name...are you alright?"  
  
Shihiko didn't respond verbally, she just nodded her head once. Her mind was racing, Yoko, how can you be alive? How can you be in a human body? Shihiko had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had not even realized that Ran had left. She stayed on the balcony for a long time after, letting the memories of her past wash over her. The sun had risen, it was a new day, and many secrets had come to light. Everything would be different now...everything...  
  
Alright so we finally get to the origin of Yumi, excuse me Shihiko and Kurama's relationship. Were they lovers, enemies, partners in crime? Find out in the next chapter: Memories. 


	10. Memories pt1

Alright here's chapter 9: Memories  
  
This chapter will be in no one's point of view even though it may seem to be in Shihiko's Point of View  
  
Also, Shihiko's appearance in Yoko's eyes won't be covered in this chapter. There's a very important reason for this. So now that that is covered enjoy!!! -  
  
==  
  
What makes you think that I'm just going to give it to you?" the cocky girl sat tied up to a bolder in the Yoko's cave. The golden eyed kitsune walked towards her with a calm but ruthless look in his eyes his silver hair spilling over his shoulders like a molten silver waterfall.  
  
"Because if you don't, then rest assured that I will kill you," he said, his voice was as steely as his gaze.  
  
The girl simply laughed at his reply, "oh really? Well I can assure you Yoko Kurama that if you kill me then you'll never possess the eye of Shin Ryuushi." At her statement he smiled slowly giving her a dangerous cocky look that seemed to say 'we shall see,' with that he walked into another opening in the cave.  
  
== End Flashback ==  
  
'Kurama... so he is still alive. Is this a coincidence or fate that we should meet like this again after a century of loneliness and despair?' Yumi, or rather Shihiko stood on the balcony outside of her apartment where Kurama himself had been not too long ago. She closed her eyes letting the wind waft through her long, wavy, brown hair as memory upon memory assailed her; memories of the man she once adored, memories of their friendship, memories of a love she thought was mutual and finally memories of abandonment, hurt and pain.  
  
'You were my first everything Kurama; my first lover my first adventure and my first heartbreak...how shall I repay you for the happiness and the misery you left me with?'  
  
She opened her eyes to gaze out in front of her. The scenery of the city bathed in sunlight gradually melted away into a warm yet damp cave illuminated and heated by a great fire in the center of it. Shihiko looked around the cave noticing all of the precious treasures, talismans, and artifacts that lined its walls. The kitsune was very industrious; many of the treasures here were priceless artifacts that were highly guarded in both reikai and makai.  
  
She was snapped out of her observations by the sounds of someone entering the den. This person was not Kurama, but someone else. A tall man with midnight blue hair and wings entered into the den. He was very beautiful and the odd but fancy looking hat he wore on his head made him seem suave and all the more handsome; almost piratical. He seemed quite startled to see her sitting in the den. His eyes looked her up and down in obvious admiration. He began to walk towards her and it was then that she noticed the dagger lying in his waist band 'hmmm, this looks like my ticket out of here,' she thought to herself.  
  
"Well, I must've done something right for Kurama to leave a treasure like you here for me," he proceeded to walk towards me, his intent obvious in his hungry eyes. He was further fueled by the coy but sexual look she presented him with, "Yes, I must've done something right,"  
  
When he reached her, he ran his hands through her silky hair, pulling her head back to make her more accessible to him; she tilted her head upwards urging him on. When his lips touched hers, he began to devour her hungrily. It was then that she tasted alcohol on his breath, 'Hn, too easy.' The man was so caught up in his passion and drunken state that he didn't even realize it when her leg flew from underneath her and crashed into his crotch. The man screamed in agony. So she wouldn't waste time she delivered another swift kick to his face rendering him unconscious. "Indeed, you have done something right," she said.  
  
With that done, she took off her shoe using her other foot and grabbed the dagger out of his waist band with her foot. After got hold of the dagger, she kicked her foot up, sending the knife flying in the air a little behind her. With expert precision she caught the hilt of the dagger in her hands, which were tied up behind the boulder. Not wasting time she cut the ropes that held her captive and discarded them.  
  
She heard footsteps coming from the area where Kurama had disappeared to. She smiled to herself and sat gracefully on the boulder awaiting his arrival. She saw Kurama round the corner from the other cave. He came to a halt when he saw the man knocked out on the floor and her sitting calmly almost mockingly on the boulder she was once tied to. She heard him whisper "Kuronue," in a timbre that most demons could not pick up or hear let alone a human.  
  
"It seems your friend had a little accident," she said in an innocent tone. Kurama glared at her and began to walk towards her, "sorry did I say something wrong?" she said as she too rose from the boulder and began to walk towards him.  
  
Just as she said that, he closed his eyes and chuckled slightly while shaking his head. "You're a fool you know that. A smart person would have fled after knocking out their enemy's best friend, however you didn't. Instead you've further pissed me off. And trust me a pissed off fox is the last thing you want to be cornered with."  
  
Shihiko didn't stop walking towards him, nor did she seem worried or frightened. She continued to walk towards him until they were not even an arms length apart. "So what are you going to do, kill me with those little plant things that you tote around in your hair?"  
  
Kurama raised an eyebrow pensively, "the thought had crossed my mind, after all they worked capturing you, so they should be efficient in killing you."  
  
"They only captured me because I allowed them to capture me darling," he seemed taken aback by those words. She smiled in his face and fluttered her eyelashes; the move didn't have the effect she thought it would. Suddenly a multitude of thorny vines sprouted from the Youko's hair and lashed out at her. She screamed in agony as the vines wrapped around her entire body many times and began to squeeze the life out of her. Blood began to flow from her arms, torso and legs from where the thorns impaled her. Kurama smiled slowly as he watched her writhe in pain.  
  
"What was it you were saying now about my 'little' plants?"  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes full of fire, and smiled crazily, "invertus introspectae!" she hissed. Suddenly the plants snaked around her warped and were being repelled away from her. The youko was shocked as he saw his thorny vines being forced away from her by her spell. Finally the plants, shriveled from the force pushed upon them, fell to the ground. She closed her eyes and took a calm, deep breath, "repairae incantatae," she said quietly. All of the wounds she suffered suddenly healed up as if she hadn't just been impaled by hundreds of thorns. She opened her eyes and smirked. Kurama stared at her in disbelief and enthrallment.  
  
"You're a white dragon," he said.  
  
"So, you have finally figured it out hmm,"  
  
"I thought that your kind was just a myth, a legend created by your people to scare the lower dragons and slaves into submission,"  
  
"Well, you thought wrong, because obviously I am here and I am indeed a white dragon,"  
  
He watched her contemplatively, "what is it that you want?" he asked, obviously still interested in the fact that she was what she said she was.  
  
"I have a proposition for you, you are going to steal something for me," she said in a high-and-mighty tone. Kurama looked at her in askance; his right eyebrow rose, and then laughed. He laughed harder when he caught sight of the girls expression, her mouth had literally dropped in the shape of an 'O' and she looked at him as if he had just slapped the hell out of her. In all honesty his amusement had come from his disbelief from the fact that this slip of a girl before him had the audacity to order a fox, let alone Him, the infamous prince of ALL thieves and code breakers, to steal something on her behalf. It was priceless.  
  
Slowly but surely his fits of laughter had died down and he mustered up enough breath to speak, "That doesn't sound like a proposition, fair one, it sounds more like a command," he said in a low, seductive, yet amused tone.  
  
Shihiko flinched and blushed slightly when he called her fair, it didn't go unnoticed by him. He smiled devilishly at her inexperience and obvious attraction for him.  
  
"And what exactly do you find so amusing about my proposition," she said quickly forcing away her shock and reddening face and staring him boldly in the eyes.  
  
Yoko folded his arms and closed his eyes, "Usually in order for something to be a proposition, one must offer something in return for the other's services." He opened his eyes halfway and looked at her lazily, letting his gaze travel down the length of her body.  
  
At his blatant seductive act her cheeks became hot and red again. She tried to force the ungodly arousal from her body once again and stared at him with a world-weary expression on her face, arching her right eyebrow delicately, "and what precisely will your price be?" she said rising to his challenge.  
  
His smile faded as his eyes lingered on her lips. His face took on a dreamy and seductive expression. He closed the gap between them and circled one arm around her waist, bringing her closer to his desire. She expelled her breath as she felt his slightly hardened organ beneath his tunic. His other hand brought her face up to meet his and he lowered his head down to meet hers. He brushed his lips gently against the soft, silky surface of hers as he let his hand drop down to her neck to finger the heavy, garnet and amber stone that rested there, "this is what I want," he whispered against her lips  
  
Her eyes raised up to meet his, he looked up from her lips and into her eyes. She smiled slyly on his lips and mouthed to him, "You drive a hard bargain fox, I'll have to make sure you work extra hard for this...prize." She nipped his mouth; he smiled at her playful yet innocent actions. He leaned in to try to kiss her again, but she stepped out of his embrace; an action which he didn't anticipate on her part. To say the least, he was a bit offended, but he kept his cool and said nothing.  
  
They heard a groan and shuffling sound coming from behind them. They turned to find Kuronue waking up with one hand clutching his crotch and the other holding his head where she kicked him at.  
  
"Son of a bitch," he groaned weakly.  
  
Kurama snorted and said, "that is just like you Kuronue, getting into trouble because you're always thinking with the wrong head," he left her side to help his friend.  
  
Shihiko walked over to a wall and leaned against it. She watched Yoko help Kuronue up and waited for him to finish...  
  
:-:-:-:-:-:-Later on...  
  
The three demons sat around the fire in the center of the main den. Kurama and Kuronue sat across from Shihiko. She could tell that two of them were trying to figure her out. Trying to figure out why a seemingly sheltered girl would seek out the greatest thief amongst thieves in all of Makai.  
  
"I need you to steal a sword for me," she said matter-of-factly.  
  
Kuronue snickered, "Look honey," he said putting sarcastic emphasis on the word 'honey,' "if you need a sword, we have plenty here," he waved his hand in the general direction of their treasure trove to indicate the number of priceless, jewel encrusted swords that laid about the cave. "Take your pick,"  
  
Shihiko looked at Kuronue with not one iota of expression crossing her features, "the sword I am speaking of is a special one...honey." She said mimicking his tone on 'honey'. He flashed a smile at her which could clearly be interpreted as 'I am not amused.'  
  
"The sword I need is called the Shaii," she said.  
  
The two men stared at her in disbelief. She could see by the look on their faces that they had heard of the sword.  
  
"The Shaii," said Yoko, "I have heard that the sword once belonged to the great ruler of the phoenix race; but somehow the land in which the race resided in was destroyed and all that was left behind was the silver sword engulfed in flames, floating in the center of the decimated holy city. That was over 100,000 years ago." Shihiko nodded her head while staring into the kitsune's golden eyes.  
  
"Yes, that is the sword I seek," she said.  
  
"It is also said that the sword contains all of the powers of the phoenix race, that the race itself, upon extinction, made a desperate attempt to merge with one another and that their merged powers and bodies coalesced with the sword. People always believed that the origin of the sword's immense power came from the assimilation of the entire race into one entity," said Kurama, his eyes searching hers to gage some type of reaction.  
  
The three sat silent for about three minutes until Kuronue broke the silence, "Such a thing must grant the wielder of the sword awesome power...Tell me, what would a cute thing like you want with such a dangerous thing?" he asked contemplatively. Both the thieves were watching her with calculating gazes. Both were curious, yet, hesitant to learn more. Curious to learn more about the treasure and her cause, but, hesitant to become entangled in any trouble she might, and was sure to get into, when she got the sword. They watched her as she got up and moved away from the fire.  
  
"I have great need for that sword...rest assured that my need for it will not place you in any danger," she said, easily reading the reason for their hesitation.  
  
"That's nice, but, if you want us to do anything for you, you have to tell us why you want it," Kuronue pressed on.  
  
Shihiko turned to face the two thieves with fire in her blush and golden eyes, "Revenge..."  
  
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-  
  
Okay, this chappie was supposed to be longer, but I had to cut it shorter because it would have probably been about 6,000 words. Hey the have a long history --, anywayz the next chapter will be the second part of their history.  
  
I also wanted to have a little poll.  
  
Do you all think Hiei is a virgin, (relevant to upcoming chapters...hey I'm serious...)  
  
Do you all want me to go into extreme detail with Yoko and Shihiko's past. Meaning basically I could cover the basics now or have certain things pop up throughout the story. (In case you didn't notice, I need a little help and I need you guys' opinions)  
  
Also do you want to make up or give me suggestions for other characters or villains that could show up later on in the story? It's not like I don't have the sagas and their main villains already planned out but suggestions are definitely welcome.  
  
And lastly (well maybe not) would you all like it if I posted the saga names and summaries in the next update?  
  
Now, finally, just to let you all know, I usually update faster if I get reviews, just suggestion, even critical things, or flames are welcome, I just need feedback. So I hope u all give me feedback for this chapter and hopefully answer my questions.  
  
Okie dokie will try to update on the weekend with part two of memories.  
  
Tchao 


	11. Memories pt2

Ok I first want to issue out great thanks to Insane Rurounis and Black Dragon Goddess for reviewing.  
  
Second I will get into more news after the fic so with no further ado here's chapter...uh...oh chapter 11: memories part 2. Enjoy!!!  
  
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Revenge...that conversation took place nearly 100 years ago. And revenge became mine...and hers. Shihiko laid in a hot bath. The steam rose from the heated water and filled the bathroom with a hot muggy haze. She breathed in the humid air recalling the night Yoko had agreed to her terms.  
  
She had been outside of his den looking up at the full moon in the thick dense forest. The night in Makai was as normal as any other night. The air, hot and humid, made her hair slightly frizz and her skin sticky and damp with sweat. She gazed up at the moon her mind traveling to the transgressions committed against her, her family and her dear friends.  
  
Suddenly the phrase 'it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all,' flashed in her mind. She scoffed bitterly at those words, "Damnable nonsense," she cursed silently; yet her mind screamed and hoped that those words carried some relevance, that the pain from losing every person in one's life that one loved and cared for could be lessened by the mere thought of 'at least I knew love once'. That this pain could be better or lesser than some other pain, but alas she knew that it was not true. If only she could go on and not think of Rain, Loriel or her mother and father. If only...  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up a bit startled and saw the youko looking down at her, his face giving nothing of himself or his emotions away.  
  
They stared at each other for a moment until he released her shoulder and walked ahead of her only a few feet. She watched him from behind, his shoulders squared, his back straight and hard. His posture gave of the impression of someone who was confident in his abilities, his strength, intelligence and appearance. A state of mind which must've taken centuries to construct, she mused to herself.  
  
She heard him sigh silently, "It is obvious that some catastrophic event has led you down the path of vengeance. And the grief and pain I sense from you are strong, and just as palpable as the anger you've presented us with earlier. So may I ask what is it that has driven you to this conclusion that you must seek out vengeance? What wrong has been committed against you?"  
  
Shihiko removed her gaze from his still and confident physique and gazed to the right of her. "You'll never know what it's like to be a woman like me living in Makai..." she silently, almost inaudibly, but she knew that the youko's ears had picked up what she'd said. "I cannot count the number of times..." she trailed off unable to continue. She didn't want him to know of her weaknesses. She began again, "As you know I am a white dragon. Although I was born from two silver dragons and have attained the powers of a silver dragon, I also have the abilities of a white dragon and carry their mark," she was speaking of her physical features, (A/N: we haven't covered this yet). "The race of the white dragon is considered to be a class of priests, priestesses and spell casters. We are removed from our families at a very early age and are brought up in a world of spells, prayers and chanting. As you might have heard, to be born as a white dragon, is to be marked as an icon of purity, chastity, piety and we are also known to be untouchable,"  
  
Yoko looked back at her in confusion, "untouchable?"  
  
"Yes, we are given this name because of our value to the dragon race. We are the only dragons that are capable of evoking the power of Shin Ryuushi; this is why I carry his eye, because I am the only known white dragon in existence. Therefore I'm the only one capable of evoking his power,"  
  
Kurama watched her as she told her story, his interest peaking with every word spoken by her. Suddenly a thought popped into his mind, 'if she was an untouchable, then how could anyone harm her,' "I take it something went wrong after you left your family and became a priestess; something that caused you to tread down this path of revenge; something that rendered you available to be attacked."  
  
She sighed audibly. Years of frustration and pain assailed her thoughts. The memories of all she had been through and all she had lost burdened her, but she struggled to continue her story; putting up a figurative wall to block her emotions from emerging.  
  
"Yes, indeed, something went amiss. When I was made priestess, the dragon territory was under the leadership of a just and benevolent ruler, however, when he died, he was succeeded by a vile and corrupt man known as Sai Uli. He was a gold dragon keeper, one of immense power.  
  
"From the very beginning he harbored desires for me, but as I told you earlier as a white dragon priestess I was to remain pure and untouched. Unfortunately this did not sit well with him. Countless times, he and his cohorts took advantage of me and degraded me until finally after five years in his service, he grew tired of me and released me from his bondage.  
  
"For nearly a year, I was emotionally and psychologically broken. I could not function in my duties as a priestess and eventually everyone gave up on me. It was then that I found... them; my only friends, the ones who saved my soul. They were two wanderers; sisters. The eldest Rain, had deep garnet eyes and very long platinum blue hair which went down to the small of her back. She was no taller than 5'1 and she always wore white clothes. Her personality, which was calm, collected and quiet was the exact opposite of her younger sister Loriel. Loriel, who was the same height as Rain had Platinum blonde hair and ice blue eyes with golden flecks in them. She was extremely beautiful, charming and full of life and laughter. In time the three of us became inseparable.  
  
"However, our time in happiness would soon dissolve as Sai Uli learned of the two newcomers. He was especially interested in Rain. This was because he knew her for what she was, a platinum dragon. Platinum dragons are considered to be anomalies and are outcasts from society. The main reason why they were seen as outcasts was due to the fear that other dragons felt. You see, the platinum dragon is known as the most powerful dragon of all races. It is said that they hold a terrible power within them and that if this power were released it could destroy the world many time over. However, these dragons cannot control this power within them, and they themselves cannot be controlled by others; for such power and beings are not meant to be controlled...by anyone.  
  
"It was out of fear of this power that Sai Uli launched a wave of attacks upon Rain and Loriel. You see he feared that Rain would someday overthrow him and take control of the empire. Hn, foolish man, if he had allowed them to remain in peace he would not have to deal with the dire consequences of his actions.  
  
"After learning of his plan to kill Rain and Loriel, I joined them, to help them defeat Sai. Together we defeated countless numbers of his armies, and as time went on, my name too became associated with the sisters, and I became wanted as well.  
  
"Years past and in every battle we fought against Sai, we were victorious. It wasn't until one night when Rain and I had a fight and parted did we know defeat. That night I met an old friend of mine, Tsai. We grew up together and he always looked out for me. So that night when he found me and cared for me, I thought nothing of it," she stopped and shook her head from side to side, "what a naïve child I was," she said silently. She closed her eyes and thought back to the events of that night.  
  
(A/N: she isn't saying any of the following to Kurama. This is a memory within a memory...O.O' just read...)  
  
==Memory==  
  
the young man watched her walk down the road in the rain. Her hair and clothes were drenched to the point of being sheer and many of the male civilians looked on at her with lust evident in their eyes. She walked in a daze, not paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly she bumped into something solid; she looked up to see what it was that she had walked into.  
  
"Shihiko...Shihiko, is that you...what's wrong, what happened?!" a male voice said. The girl stared at the boy through her teary eyes. She saw is golden eyes, his tanned skin and his long black hair which was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore all black: a black tank top shirt with a black, mesh, long-sleeved, turtle- necked shirt underneath it, black ninja pants (like hiei's) and black boots.  
  
The girl stared at the man for sometime until she realized who it was, "Tsai?" she whispered brokenly.  
  
He smiled at her, glad that she had remembered him, "Come on, let's get you out of this rain and into something dry." She allowed herself to be led away by him, not caring where she was being led to or why he had shown up when and where he did. Her mind was still unfocused and she was still in pain from the event earlier that day. She had been led inside somewhere and she felt Tsai removing her clothes. She was not alarmed by this, for nudity was nothing short of common for dragons (well that explains Kai's actions --). She felt him drape a blanket over her naked body. Her skin was damp and cold and her wet hair curtained her like a drippy, stringy mass. The only thing she could feel on her was her eye of Shin Ryuushi, firmly clasped around her neck and the warm blanket.  
  
Tsai sat her down on a bed in the room and he himself on a table across from her. He watched her expectantly, wondering what had happened to her.  
  
"Thank you Tsai," she said softly. He moved off the table and kneeled in front of her and put his hand on her right knee.  
  
"Shihiko tell me what happened, were you attacked, did that damn Rain hurt you?!" he asked, his animosity towards Rain's appearance in their lives was apparent.  
  
"No she...she left me," she said, feeling warm tears begin to flow down her cheeks.  
  
"She left you? Why? What would she have gained from that?"  
  
"It doesn't matter, I'll find her and Loriel and I'll continue to fight with them," she looked up into his golden eyes, "no matter what,"  
  
Tsai was taken aback by those words, his eyes widened in shock and she could've sworn she saw them change a different, darker shade; there was a wilder look in them, more savage, like a monster. He reeled away from her and picked up and object from off of the table. With out delay he hurled the object across the room and into the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Shihiko flinched at the loud piercing sound and then looked up at Tsai as if he were crazy.  
  
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!!" he bellowed. "that bitch ruined your life, made you an outcast and a target for every goddamn soldier and bounty hunter in the dragon territory! And you still want to protect her?!!"  
  
Her eyes softened on his angry visage. She stood up holding the blanket tight around her shoulders and brought her right hand to his cheek. "Please, try to understand, Rain and Loriel are my friends, they saved me when everyone else had given up on me, I would gladly stay and fight by their sides till the very end. I owe them that, at least," she said softly, trying to get him to see reason.  
  
He clamed down externally, but internally he was in rage, "You deluded fool," he whispered. She saw his fists clench tightly and begin to tremble. He grabbed her hand from his face and gripped it tightly while still staring into her face darkly. She gave him a questioning look, wondering what was going on in his mind. He lashed out quickly and caught her other hand violently. She struggled to get loose, causing the blanket to the ground leaving her naked.  
  
"Tsai...what...are you ...doing?" she said while struggling to get loose. Their struggling made them fall onto the bed with Tsai on top of her.  
  
"You won't be going back to her! You're staying here with me!!" he hissed through clenched teeth. The meaning behind his words became all to clear as she felt him hardening on her.  
  
"No Tsai!! Please...you can't!!" she said. He gathered her hands roughly and placed them above her head. He clamped both of her hands together and held them with his left hand. He let his right hand travel between them to loosen the leather strap holding his pants together. When he was done he removed his organ; it was fully engorged from the anger and lust he was feeling at the moment. His lust for her had always been present, he had always wanted her when they were younger, and now he would have her.  
  
"Tsai NO!!!" her pleas and screams fell upon deaf ears. He was in too much of a frenzy to hear her now.  
  
"I'm only trying to protect you, this is for you own good," he said almost sorrowfully. He wrapped his right arm around her waist and nudged his legs apart with his own and thrust deeply into her. His screams of ecstasy mingled with her screams of horror and pain.  
  
All she could do was clench her eyes and teeth from the pain and wait for this unexpected yet familiar assault to pass. Tears rolled from her raw reddened eyes as she felt her once trusted friend violate her mind and body in the most degrading of ways.  
  
about an hour later   
  
Shihiko still lay on her back, her head turned to the side facing away from Tsai. She stared at the wall dejectedly, some moisture from her tears still clinging to her cheeks. She said nothing, her breathing was still and she lay as if she were in a trance. Tsai was sitting up in bed with his right leg hiked up. He stared at her for a long time while his mind tried to convince his heart that this horrific rape had been a gesture of protection and love (A/N O.O uh...is he crazy?) towards the one person he cared for most in the world.  
  
He reached his hand out to remove a stray lock of hair from out of her face, "you are so beautiful," he whispered almost in reverence. (ok he is crazy). There was no response verbally, physically or emotionally from Shihiko, "don't worry honey, she'll never hurt you again, Sai has already taken care of those two,"  
  
Shihiko flinched slightly at those words. Suddenly her mind flashed back to Tsai's words; that he was trying to protect her, meaning he was trying to...  
  
"You did this as a diversionary tactic?" she asked in disgust. She was still facing the wall so she couldn't see the anger seeping back into his features.  
  
"I did it to protect you, to keep you safe. If I hadn't kept you hear, you'd be dead, just like that bitch and her sister!" he said harshly.  
  
She felt tears begin to flow from her again, her breath quickening and becoming shallower, 'they were dead,' her mind and heart swam with a multitude of thoughts and emotions that she couldn't name. She had to get out of there and find them.  
  
"Don't you understand that I did this because I love you?" he said.  
  
She turned around to face him, "love? How can you say you love me when you've just done everything humanly possible to make me unhappy? You've betrayed me and took away the one thing in this world that made me happy, I will never forgive you, and I will NEVER love you." She reached her hand back and delivered a hard punch to his face which sent him flying into and through the wall. She got out of the bed and followed his path when she reached him she saw that he was about to pass out, "go back to your master and tell him that he will regret the day that he EVER laid a finger on Loriel and Rain," with that said she kicked in his face and went back into the room to retrieve her clothes.  
  
Later  
  
Shihiko raced through the forest, she had a lock on Rain's energy signature and she knew that she was close to her. The forest became a blur of green and brown as her legs carried her as fast as they could. The trail became harder to run as she began to move uphill. The scenery began to change as the number of trees became fewer and fewer. She also heard the sounds of rushing water and the ground beneath her changed from dirt and grass to gravel and stone. She had reached the opening of a plateau overlooking a huge (almost oceanic) body of water when she stopped short at the scene before her. At the end of the plateau she caught sight of Rain, sitting in a pool of blood, cradling the limp form of her sister Loriel in her arms. Her platinum blonde hair was matted in blood and her face was growing paler and bluish with each moment that passed.  
  
Shihiko dared not to go near Rain at that moment. She herself felt the pain of Loriel's death and, of course, guilt for not being there, but what she felt, she knew, could never compare to the amount of pain, suffering and loss that Rain was feeling. So she stood there, behind them and grieved silently and vowed revenge on those who committed this injustice.  
  
====End Memory===  
  
Shihiko opened her eyes and sighed, "that night I found out that the meeting with my friend was used as a diversion to kill Rain and Loriel...they succeeded in killing Loriel, but Rain...can you imagine what it is like to lose your only familial tie in the world?"  
  
"No...but, I can understand your desire for revenge," he said quietly.  
  
Shihiko looked up with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "so, you will help me?"  
  
Yoko sighed, "Hn, it seems as though you'll go whether I help you or not right?" she nodded once, "well since you're hell-bent on revenge I guess I'll go along with it. After all, a cute thing like you shouldn't go wandering around ruined ghost cities without protection. And besides, it sounds as though this assignment will actually be a challenge ne?"  
  
She couldn't help the smile that broke out across her face. She bowed her head towards him, "Thank you,"  
  
To be continued...  
  
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Many Many thanks goes out to Insane Rurounis for nice long, and informative review and another thanks goes out to Black Dragon Goddess...now as per request I will post the upcoming saga summaries:  
  
each of these sagas will have about 3-5 chapters between them to serve as a transition.  
  
Dark Saga: three of our heroes fall under the thrall of the infamous puppeteer a powerful mind controller who turn three of the tentei into the dream team of evil (which ones you ask? Well that's the surprise he he) and Koenma has no other choice to enlist new help from two wayward bounty hunters to stop them from destroying the world. (oh yeah, remember when I talked about complex romances in my summary...well it starts in this saga so hold onto your hats ladies and gents)  
  
Devils of Kenji: seven dragon rebels have a score to settle with a member of the Reikai Tentei. The remaining members will have to search and rescue the kidnapped member. New alliances will be made, and heart stopping revelations and reconciliations will occur.  
  
Return of the Dragons: Some old enemies will return to take care of some unfinished business with Reikai. A new tournament will begin in the dragon world with the Reikai tentei fighting against the finest warriors of the dragon keepers. Oh yeah and the prize for this tournament...winner becomes supreme ruler of both Reikai and the Dragon world.  
  
Rain Saga: the enigma known as Rain shares her past as she and a member of the tentei walk down memory lane. However this mini reflection turns from sweet to sour as a blast from her past comes back to rock their world and challenges them to a life threatening game of love and war that will cause the untimely death of ...some...of the Tentei.  
  
Makai Tournament: just like in the series the Makai tournament was the Tentei's last adventure, and it will be so in this fic as well. This saga will be very similar to the series, except now the new members of the tentei and another world, the dragon world, will be competing in the competition.  
  
All's well that Ends well: the last saga of this fic. This saga will dedicate a chapter to each hero in the fic and will give in depth analysis to each characters feelings about past events, friends, enemies, significant others and their future.  
  
Well that is the summary of what's to come. Here's a little note though, some things may change from the list above, maybe more sagas will be added, maybe the order will change, I don't know yet. But, so far this is the plan for Dragon Keeper.  
  
Please tell me what you all think and review. - 


	12. Memories pt3

I'm back!!!! I'm so sorry it took me so long to update but I have valid reasons...really I do!!! Well for starters I was in summer school taking precal and I had to devote the majority of my time on that. Secondly after I finished summer school, I went out of town on a vacation, which I have just returned from, yesterday. Thirdly, this was the longest, hardest damn chapter I have ever written. Do you all realize that I have been writing this for a couple of weeks now!!! But I had to do it, 'cause, you guys are worth it!!!  
  
I'd like to send a shout out to insane rurounis for reviewing. Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much!!!  
  
Now with no further ado (I think that's how it goes scratches head) on with chapter...uh...oh well on with the chapter!!!  
  
P.s. this chapter contains some lemony goodness, just a warning...hey this fic IS rated R.  
  
=  
  
Chapter 12 Memories part 3  
  
'I remembered that journey like it was yesterday; the journey to acquire the Shaii and all of its power; the journey that would lead to my triumph over Sai Uli and to my revenge.' Shihiko leaned back into her crème leather couch cradling a deep, garnet flower, resembling an East Indian lotus. The flower was a deep garnet at the base, almost purple in color, and gradually lightened until it was a red orange color at the top of the blossom. Each petal had intermittent speckles of gold running through it along the edges.  
  
She stroked the delicate petals gently, feeling the silky texture of it, 'the journey that would lead to my first heartbreak.' She brought the flower up to her chest and covered it with both of her hands, "Yoko," she whispered sadly.  
  
==Memory==  
  
They walked through the darkened forest; demonic beings were present yet hidden everywhere. Shihiko lead Kurama and Kuronue through the darkness to the ruins of the ancient phoenix city. It had taken them an entire week just to reach halfway to the city; a week which included batting off the comings on of a certain over-sexed, gorgeous kitsune. Shihiko had to admit that it had been hard to resist him, for he was a master in the art of seduction. One blatant seductive act or well placed touch or glance sent her mind spiraling into hot and hazy thoughts of she and the silver haired kitsune entangled, sweating and panting under the starlit night of Makai. Kuronue had often teased her about her inability to hide her lust and emotions over Kurama.  
  
"Hmmm, you know, that world weary front you put up is so phony. Your reactions put me in the mind of an inexperienced, tittering, school girl on the verge of her first sightings of a naked man."  
  
This, of course would garner a potent evil glare from the white dragon and a quick retort which usually sounded like, "Well, just don't forget that it was this so-called 'inexperienced, tittering, schoolgirl' who seduced your sorry ass and knocked you witless in the dirt," she would say calmly, batting her eyelashes mockingly. With a twitch of his left eye Kuronue would walk away.  
  
"Ch, whatever,"  
  
It was then, when they were all alone that the fox's seduction would commence. Shihiko remembered the night she gave into him and his lustful demands. It was approximately one week after they had begun their journey; Kuronue had disappeared after their little spat and left them alone. They sat in the middle of the forest, a blazing fire roared between them, the Yoko on one side of the blaze and she on the other. She tried to look anywhere except across the fire where she knew he was. She could feel his hot gaze intent upon her, for it was a very palpable thing.  
  
"Tell me Shihiko," his deep, purring voice lulled her to look his way. Reluctantly she turned, her gaze finding his. The intense golden orbs were glowing slightly in the night, "how long do you plan on resisting this thing between us?"  
  
her breath caught in her throat as she examined him as he spoke. The darkly handsome masculine features of his face glowed softly from the light of the fire. He leaned back gently against a tree that was behind him; the action caused his shirt to gape open and reveal hard, smooth, muscled plane of his torso and chest area. The golden tan sight was enough to cause the pent up breath in her throat to escape in a gentle, yet audible sigh.  
  
A slow satisfied smile spread across his arresting features. The act made her blush in embarrassment and lust, and rise up to leave. She couldn't fathom how the fox had driven her into a sexual frenzy. Her body longed and ached for him in a way that she never knew existed. All of her sexual experiences had been ones of torture and rape. Never had she enjoyed or felt pleasure during sex. Never had she known that there existed mutual satisfaction and pleasure. The youko presented her with new feelings and emotions that she thought she would never be capable of feeling due to her past experiences. Feelings and emotions which she wanted to explore, but, knew not how to go about doing so.  
  
She found herself in front of a small body of water in a clearing of the forest. She took off her shoe and placed her foot in the water partially. The water was very cold, but instead of agitating her, it calmed and soothed her. She proceeded to remove her other shoe and the rest of her clothes and climbed into the arctic water. She waded deeper into the pool until she was waist deep in its frosty depths. She gazed up at the full moon, its silvery light placing everything in an ethereal and whitish glow. She closed her eyes as the chilling effects of the water began to calm her demonic urges.  
  
She was startled out of her reverie as two very toasty hands snaked around her waist. Appalled that anyone would have the audacity to come upon her while she was bathing, she rose her ki level and formed a white ball of energy in her right hand, "insect!" she hissed as she turned around, preparing to deliver her wrath onto her intruder. However, before the flaming ball of energy came into contact with the other, a strong hand clasped around her wrist preventing her from going any further. She looked up with fury in her eyes at the face of this interloper. Her eyes caught the sight of a stunning gold and long vibrant silver locks.  
  
Kurama.  
  
The energy in her hand disappeared slowly as if to mirror her uncertain emotions and hesitation. "Wha- what are you..." she stopped suddenly as she began to notice his nude form and then she suddenly remembered the extent of her nudity as well. Her cheeks turned crimson at their situation. Kurama continued to stare down into her eyes. The traces of the cocky, cajoling fox were all gone from his visage, all that she could read from his hazy, passionate eyes was what he wanted and his determination to get it.  
  
He slid his warm hand from around her wrist and up her arm, enjoying the feel of her smooth, silky skin. He continued his path to her neck where the eye, which was all she had on, rested. However, he did not linger there; his hand moved to the downy softness of her left cheek and stroked it gently. She expelled a shaky breath as she felt him caressing her. The path of his hand left her skin scorching hot and needy for his touch again.  
  
His other hand moved from her waist, where he had been massaging the small of her back, and traveled slowly up her back, enjoying the feel of her long silky hair mixed the feel of her now dampening skin. His hand reached the back of her scalp and began messaging there as well. A soft moan escaped her lips from the combination of his wandering, messaging hands and his intense golden eyes upon her. She couldn't deny what she wanted any longer, she wanted to be with him, she wanted to know what it felt like to be made love to; she wanted to know mutual pleasure. Unable to restrain herself any longer, she closed her eyes and tilted her head upwards towards him.  
  
A gentle smile tugged at the youko's lips at her innocent actions. With one last caress of her cheek, he brought his hand back to her waist and drew her in closer for a kiss. He leaned down and pressed his lips softly onto hers. He moved away from her lips and began to nibble and deliver soft, feathery kisses around them and down her jaw line and neck. He drew back a little to gage her reaction. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she gave him a somewhat questioning gaze. Before she could inquire as to why he stopped he brought his finger gently up to her mouth to silence her. He arched his eyebrow and then gave her a look which clearly said, 'if you wish this to go any further, then you must take control.' She bit her lip pensively for she knew exactly what her wanted, but how would she go about...  
  
Suddenly an idea presented itself; she gave him a mischievous look and brought her right hand up to his lower abdomen. She felt the muscles there slightly jump at her touch; she brought her other hand around his back. She then leaned her head towards his chest (remember Yoko is very tall) and began to lick a path upward between the muscles of his torso and his chest. She felt him shudder at the sensation of being licked by her. Her hands began moving all over his body as her mouth found his nipple. As she began to gently draw on it he wrapped his arms around her to pull her closer to him, "Koibito," (1.) he moaned gently. She smiled gently against his skin at his reactions. As she began to nibble and draw harder on him, his breathing turned from a calmed one to shallow panting.  
  
She moved away from his chest and stood on tip toe to reach his neck. Sensing her need, he lifted her up to him, her body sliding almost unbearably against his manhood. He felt her mouth latch onto his throat and her teeth grazing against the sensitive skin there. He was beyond all thinking as he too began to nibble and suck on her neck. She ceased her exploration of him as a result of the divine feelings he was making her experience. As he tasted of her, he felt her nails score his shoulders and his back, and an all too animalistic nature took hold of him. Unable to bear being apart from her any longer he scooped her up in his arms, bridle style, and walked deeper into the pool. He shifted her weight so that he could hold her with one arm; with the other arm he positioned her legs around his waist to make her more accessible to him. While he was adjusting her position on him, she took up the nerve to kiss him again, only this time her shyness and hesitation and his control had all but disappeared. Their kiss this time was unrestrained, wild and passionate. She could find no words to explain the sensations she was feeling. Never, in all of her years of living, nor in any of her sexual experiences had she felt the euphoria that plagued her in Kurama's arms. She had never known that making love could be so wondrous or pleasurable. She had never known that she could find happiness in a man's arms.  
  
Later that night as she lay with him she no longer thought of her past misfortunes, she no longer thought of Sai Uli's terror, she no longer thought of Rain or Loriel, all she thought and all she felt was him.  
  
For the next week and a half they were consumed with each other, each time they made love proved to be more passionate and emotion filled than the last. Each time they lay together afterward he seemed to open up more and accept her more in his life. Each moment they spent together seemed to make the prospect of becoming his more plausible.  
  
'So why then did you...'  
  
==end memory==  
  
"Shihiko," a male voice pulled her out of her trance. She was at school and it was lunch time. She had decided to avoid her 'fan club' today so she went up to the roof of the building for lunch to find solitude; and now after all of her efforts to escape someone had managed to find her. By Ryuushi! These humans were becoming more annoying to her by the second. The voice sounded again only this time it held a hint of concern. She pulled her gaze away from the scenery of the front yard of the school to view this intruder upon her seclusion.  
  
She couldn't have been more shocked or put out by who she saw. Speak of the devil, it was Kurama, or Suuichi as he is called in this realm. He could not have come at a more inopportune time; right at the moment where her thoughts of him were beginning to turn sour. "Suuichi," she almost whispered as she planted a sickly smile on her face.  
  
He looked so concerned, "are you alright?" he asked.  
  
'Am I alright?' she thought bitterly. 'If only you knew' "Hai! Why do you ask?" she said not so convincingly.  
  
Kurama watched her meditatively, something was wrong with her. It was as if everything she said was calculated, measured so that she wouldn't let anything slip out. She was also very withdrawn today, 'probably because last night's events,' he thought to himself. He knew that he was acting a bit more yoko-ish last night and that he had probably scared the hell out of her.  
  
He began to walk towards her and all she could do was watch him. All she could do was to find some traces of the man, the youko, who had given her so much pleasure and so much pain. When he came near me he sat on the ledge by me. He looked down at the court yard, "an interesting view," he said matter-of-factly, "why have you isolated yourself here?"  
  
"I just needed some time to be alone, some time to think, that's all," she said not looking him in the eye.  
  
"Yes," he said, he turned to her, his penetrating emerald gaze peering down into her, "I've noticed you're a bit with drawn, would that have anything to do with last night's proceedings?"  
  
She shrugged, "it's not everyday that you witness something so horrific," she turned to look him dead in the eyes, "or to witness demons in human form roam about, their presence only capable of destroying the lives they touch, both physically and emotionally...don't you agree...Yoko,"  
  
Physically, he did not flinch, but something in his eyes did change. His beautiful green irises were now tinged with gold, a color which symbolized the demonic presence within him. He drew back slightly; his face now hardened and emotionless, "who are you?" he said in a deadly whisper.  
  
She closed her eyes, straining to hold back the emotions so ready to spew forth from her: 'Who am I? Who am I? I am the woman whom you abandoned a century ago; the woman whose heart you stole; the woman who nearly stole your heart in turn...can't you see...'  
  
==Memory again ==  
  
They entered the city. It was a desolate place, even though it was day, the skies were black with grey clouds, the sun never shown itself in this ruined city. The three ventured further until they reached the center of the city, the supposed resting place of the Shaii. Suddenly a string chilling wind swept through the area. It was the kind of breeze that went right though you; the kind that let you know that preternatural beings dwelled in the vicinity.  
  
"What the fuck was that?" Kuronue asked.  
  
"I think we're about to find out," said Kurama.  
  
Out of no where about 200 apparitions appeared, surrounding them. They all were dressed in ancient armor that looked somewhat Chinese and their physiques were also in a state which suggested that the apparitions were no longer alive.  
  
"These must be the guardians of the Shaii," Shihiko whispered to the others, "they are the ones who died protecting the city and the sword before the race destroyed,"  
  
"That is correct child," echoed one apparition who seemed to be the leader by the look of his somewhat 'grander' clothing. "And if you three wish to possess the Shaii you must defeat us, and even if you do, somehow, manage the task of overcoming us, you will never be able to wield the Shaii, for all the spirits contained in the sword will rise up against you and devour your soul,"  
  
"Shit," Kuronue said wide eyed, "so little- miss- levity, how are you going to deal with that?"  
  
Shihiko looked over her shoulder at Kuronue and gave him a cocky grin, "don't worry batsy (2.), that's already taken care of,"  
  
"Hn, I knew a stickler like you would already have it figured out. So you guys ready to kick some ghostly ass?" said Kuronue as he pulled out his two miniature scythes.  
  
Kurama chuckled slightly, "that's so like you Kuronue, always hard up for a battle," he said as he pulled a seed from his hair. With a flex of his energy, the seed blossomed into a huge white flower with long ropey vines that wrapped around Kurama's entire right arm. "What is THAT? It's huge!" Shihiko asked astonished.  
  
"Remind you of something?" he joked, her face turned crimson instantly at his blunt connotation, "it's a special flower called the Ohmphala. It allows me to transmit the energy I place into the plant to be used as an energy blast," he took aim suddenly, "watch,"  
  
With that he began to accumulate his energy into the flower and out of the blue intermittent sparks of energy began to fly around the blossom, "Ohmphala blast!!!" he said, then all of the energy surrounding his arm formed into a huge blazing white energy orb. Without warning he launched it into the heart of the phantom army and as soon as the blast hit the ground it exploded into a blinding white light. The explosion seemed to trigger a chain reaction which resulted in the destruction of the entire army, including the ones that were behind them. All that could be heard was the piercing screams of the apparitions as they met with their end. When the light died away all that was left was a huge crater that surrounded them.  
  
Shihiko stood with her mouth gaped open at the sight, and Kuronue whistled at his partner's thorough job, "and you say I'm hard up for battle?"  
  
He smiled mockingly at Kuronue as he retracted his weapon, "shall we go then,"  
  
"Not so fast demon," a voice echoed from out of no where.  
  
"It can't be," Kurama whispered.  
  
"Wait a minute," Shihiko said, "they can't be defeated that way because their already dead,"  
  
"I know that. That's why I used this particular plant; it works on both the living and the dead,"  
  
One by one the ghosts rose from the ground, "Well apparently it does not," she said, 'damn this means that I'll have to take matters into my own hands,' she thought reluctantly. Suddenly the apparitions charged them. Each now bearing weapons which were indeed real. As the army came abreast of them Kuronue opened his wings and took to the sky as a wave of ghosts locked onto him. While in the air he launched his faithful chained miniature scythes at the enemy. Each one screaming in agony as the scythes ripped through them, making them disappear. However after he injured and 'killed' on it would only come back as if nothing had happened.  
  
Shihiko and Kurama had their hands full as well. Kurama had materialized a long, sharp, wooden plant which he wielded like a sword, cutting down any apparition that dared to attack him. Along side of him Shihiko held her own as she delivered wave upon wave of energy blasts, knocking back her opponents. They too, however, met with the same misfortune as Kuronue as the demons they 'killed,' rematerialized and launched another assault upon them.  
  
"Damn, there's no end to them," Kuronue voiced.  
  
In an act of heroism that she knew she would regret later Shihiko took charge, "Kuronue, Kurama, get back, let me take care of them," she said while still fending off against the unending torrent of phantoms.  
  
"Are you crazy," Kurama hissed.  
  
"No! I have a plan...uhg...trust me!!!" she said. She could see in his eyes that he was reluctant to do as she requested but unexpectedly he turned to her slightly  
  
"I do trust you," he said a little hesitantly, "fine I'll go... be careful," after he said that he leapt away gracefully. Before she had time to let it sink in what he was saying to her, she was brought back into the battle as she felt a blade pierce the fleshy part of her right shoulder. She tried not to cry out in pain, she would not show these monsters any weakness on her part.  
  
"You all," she said in between delivering blows to the overwhelming number of enemies, "are really...starting...to PISS...ME...OFF!!! Energy Shield!!!" suddenly a huge bright blue sphere surrounded her knocking back all of the demons pressed against her, without wasting any time Shihiko took an unusual position clasping her hands together bringing them up towards her face. She extended her index and middle finger on both her hands and began chanting (A/N: no this is not Genkai's spirit wave). "Ohm-awa-ryin-obishi- sowaka!!!" before the apparitions knew what she was doing, it was already too late. Each one of them began dropping like flies, and this time their deaths were different. Each phantom went up in a blaze of scalding white fire. Within one minute the entire army was gone-for good.  
  
When Kuronue and Kurama reached her, they noticed her labored breath and the sweat on her brow. "You're injured, we should treat that now," said Kurama. He was forestalled, however when she raised her hand in protest.  
  
"I'm fine. I assure you. We must not rest now, not when we are so close," she indicated to the ruined temple ahead which housed the Shaii.  
  
The three of them headed to the temple. When they entered all of them gasped at what they saw. Floating in the center of the temple glowing in all of its silver and white glory was the sword of Shaii. The sword resembled a Katana due to its thin, long, and slightly curved blade; however the hilt of the sword was more decorative. On each side of the hilt were long, outstretched, silver wings with a sharp talon at the end of each wing.  
  
Kuronue and Kurama were so caught up in reverence of the beautiful sword that they barely even noticed Shihiko moving towards it. She knew of the test that she would have to endure in order to become the true wielder of the sword. Surviving the test was plausible, that is, it was plausible before she used the balk of her energy defeating the phantom army. However, now...she shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts, it was too late to turn back now; she had run out of time. Now was the time for her to acquire the power to defeat her foes and get her revenge.  
  
Without warning to the other party Shihiko lunged outward and grasped the sword. The last thing she hear before the spirits overcame her was Kurama's warning," and then she was gone to the physical world.  
  
She looked around her and everything, including the floor, if you can call it a floor, was a complete void. Suddenly a huge golden and silver blaze appeared before her. A warm multi-tonal voice, which she could only surmise to be the voices of the all the spirits of the extinct phoenix race, emerged from the fire.  
  
"We are the entity phoenix; it is our task to test those who wish to wield the power of the Shaii." Said the voices, "the only way for you to acquire our power is to survive the same plagues that devastated our people. Do you still wish to continue on this path?"  
  
"Yes, I will become the master of the Shaii...I must. So bring it on," she said.  
  
The blaze chuckled slightly, "very well foolish girl, feel our wrath," with that Shihiko was sucked into the blaze. And all that was heard for hours in the void was her piercing screams.  
  
===later  
  
Shihiko opened her eyes weakly. She didn't know how much time had past her by or remember exactly where she was. All she knew and all she could feel was the pain from the test thrumming throughout her body. She heard voices. The voice sounded distant, and the words were vague. She moved her eyes to the side and saw the blurry vision of silver, gold and blue beside her, and then everything went black.  
  
Suddenly a huge, blinding, flaming phoenix burned in her mind. It screamed a piercing screech before, in a flash of light, it disappeared.  
  
Shihiko shot up from the mat she was laying on. She clutched her head as the memories of what she endured assailed her. Being burned alive by the scalding fires of the phoenix, undergoing the arctic temperature of the phoenix's breath until their talons scratched her frozen body until in cracked up into a million pieces. When they were done with that, they put her back together again for another round of torture, she was impaled by ice picks, pecked by their beaks, beaten to a bloody pulp (literally), and then after she endured their power, she had to go through and relive every death of each and every spirit that inhabited the sword. It was a miracle that she had survived it all, and her body was still in tact, for everything she endured occurred to her spiritual body.  
  
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Kuronue looking down at her, "hey kid, how are you," he said.  
  
She laughed weakly, "alive," she said. She looked around, ignoring the dull pain in her body, "where is Kurama?"  
  
Kuronue looked away slightly, "outside," with that he got up and walked away. She looked questioningly at him, but shrugged it off as one of his inexplicable vagaries. She got up and walked towards the opening of the temple. She didn't see Kurama anywhere in sight, so she stretched out her senses and felt his ki nearby.  
  
She found him sitting on a log in a nearby forest cradling something in his hands. He looked up slightly when she came near him and then looked away. "so you are finally awake,"  
  
"finally?"  
  
"Yes, you've been sleeping for about a week now," he said without any emotion in his voice. She could sense that something wasn't right with him. He wasn't acting like himself. "so, did you find what you were looking for?" he asked.  
  
She hesitated a little, not knowing what had triggered this change in him or how to handle it, "yes, I have acquired the power of the phoenix race,"  
  
"I thought you needed the Shaii?"  
  
"Wielding the Shaii was only a test to see if I could handle their power, and it seems that I am in fact capable," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. But, he wasn't looking at her, in fact he barely glanced at her since she found him, all he kept staring at was the object in his hands. "What is the matter with you, you're acting strange," she said.  
  
He stood up and faced her, "I'm leaving, I trust you do not require my services anymore."  
  
She stared at him, dumbfounded, unable to take in what he was telling her, "but..."  
  
"But nothing! What did you think this was? Love? Did you think we would run away together and live happily ever after?"  
  
She could say nothing. She looked away when she felt her eyes stinging with repressed tears. "so then, leave..." she said quietly.  
  
For a while neither of them did anything, she continued to look away and he, for all she could guess, stared at her. After a few minutes, she heard him approach. She felt him tuck something in her hair and then he left.  
  
It seemed as thought she stood there for hours after he left, however it could've been only a few minutes, who knew, and she didn't care. All she cared about, all she was aware of was the pain. Never in her life had she known such heartache. Even when she was being taken advantage of by Sai Uli and his cronies, she could always manage to block out the pain, to make herself numb. But this...this was a different pain this was unbearable. She felt herself collapse; she wrapped her arms around herself tightly as her body was wracked with tears.  
  
Sometime later she found the strength to repress her feelings and get up to return to her living hell. When she returned to the dragon lands, she found Rain, and the two of them together tore down the entire dragon empire and mounted Sai Uli's head on a steak for all of his followers and those who were oppressed by him to see.  
  
After that day, she never saw Rain again, another crushing blow delivered to her heart. It was that day, the day when the last of her precious world collapsed, that she left behind the role of priestess and took up another role...the conqueror, the warrior. She united the eastern dragon lands under one flag, appointed a new government, which was similar to a democratic monarchy, in which she was the right hand and the protector of.  
  
She harnessed her skills as a white dragon and acquired new, more powerful skills which were unheard of by any dragon in all four worlds. She became unique, powerful, and the beloved of the new king of the dragons, Kairen, the golden dragon. However, deep in her heart, there still remained a longing for those whom she loved, Rain and Kurama. The frustration, love and anger she felt towards them fueled her progress, drove her to success and power which could be matched by only a select few in the dragon lands.  
  
She had to continue, to push herself so that she wouldn't feel the pain of all she had lost; So that she wouldn't remember the love she once felt for the silver haired kitsune.  
  
=====  
  
"Who am I? ... Oh, where do I begin? How can you not remember? I suppose I can understand it though, after all you never loved me...did you?" she opened her eyes and stared up at the body that the kitsune now inhabited.  
  
Kurama watched her, unable to understand what or who she was. Yes, he knew that he had known her, but, when and how, that was the question.  
  
She closed her eyes and suddenly began to glow. Her body becoming an entity of white light. Kurama got up and moved away from her, he pulled out a seed from his hair and materialized his famous rose whip, preparing to do battle. But the attack he was anticipating never came, instead the bright light being emitted from her melted away like hot wax, and as it melted away so to did the façade of the wavy haired brunette student melt away. In its place appeared lustrous white hair, and golden crème skin which held a pearlescent appearance. Her ears were replaced by elfin ears with two golden rings and a fang in each lobe along with two golden rings in the tops of her ears.  
  
Kurama gasped as he saw her. She opened her eyes, which were now more brilliant and demonic than before, holding even amount of gold as blush. From her hand, she materialized the dark red lotus she had been cradling that morning.  
  
Kurama recognized it immediately. His mind flashed back one century ago. He remembered everything, him in his Youko form gazing intently upon her saddened form.  
  
'so leave then...' she had said back then.  
  
He walked towards her with an object in his hand. He looked down at its beautiful form once again before raising it to tuck protectively in her hair. It was the Makai lotus, a very rare and very beautiful flower which reminded him of her. It was the exact flower which she now held in her hand.  
  
He looked at her beautiful form seated on the school ledge once again and he could only utter one word, for the emotions which consumed him at the moment prevented him from saying any more, "Shihiko," he whispered.  
  
=  
  
Whew!!!! That was a long ass chapter, the longest I've ever written, about 5,500 words. I was about to divide it into two chapters, but I was tired of doing that. So you know what to do, tell me what you think and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!  
  
Koibito means lover or sweetheart in Japanese  
  
2.) She refers to Kuronue as batsy because he's a bat demon 


	13. Conspiracy Theory

Chapter 13: Conspiracy Theory

Okay here's chapter thirteen. This chapter's timeline is a bit weird. It starts right after the attack at the festival. That means that it's before Kurama meets Shihiko at school. Alrighty then, chapter thirteen everybody...

Huge shout out, once again to Insane Rurounis hands her Hiei and Yoko plushies I'm with you on that though I.R. I don't know why people aren't reviewing. I cry about it every night though sniffles just kidding! I can only hope that more people will review and regularly. Oh well, enjoy the chapter!

=

The Reikai Palace: Midnight

"Alright Koenma, what's the deal!!!" an enraged Yusuke stormed into the Reikai prince's office in a nearly uncontrollable rage.

Koenma nearly fell out of his chair out of shock from Yusuke's wild and sudden appearance.

"Yu-Yusuke, what brings you here?" Koenma asked a little jittery. He looked into Yusuke's fiery eyes and then materialized a cup of tea accompanied by a multitude of biscuits, "tea?"

"I DON'T WANT TEA!!! I want to know what that bitch meant about you being tied to their cause for massacring hundreds of people!!! What the hell do you have to do with any of this?"

Koenma's face nearly turned white while listening to Yusuke. He knew, of course, exactly what he was talking about; he just couldn't tell THEM about it. Doing so might jeopardize everything Reikai had accomplished and could accomplish in the future. Not to mention, telling Yusuke the truth could also jeopardize the well being of his precious backside. He quickly planted an oh-so-fake smile on his face to hide is obvious concern over Yusuke's sudden burst of knowledge.

"Oh Yusuke, you know the enemy will say anything to turn us against each other."

"Wrong answer pacifier breath!!!" Yusuke then slammed his fist into Koenma's desk and broke it into a million a million shards as if it were made of naught but paper Mache.

Botan walked into the office just in time to see Yusuke turn Koenma's once grand gold and mahogany desk into toothpicks. "Yusuke!!! What are you doing?!" Botan ran in front of Yusuke and put both of her hands up at her sides as if to block any forthcoming attack from the incensed spirit detective.

"Save it Botan. That toddler is part of some kinda conspiracy with these dragons. You heard it yourself from Jun Pei! He's been holding out on us, and because did, Hiei's missing and probably dead, Kurama's no where to be found, who knows that chick he brought could've been one of them and done him in. Not to mention hundreds of people are dead and I nearly got flambéed by an entire demon army! So as far as I'm concerned, the almighty baby over there," Yusuke said while pointing to Koenma crouched over on his knees with hands on his ears and his eyes closed, "better spill his guts or I'll do it for him...literally"

"Alright Alright!!!! I'll tell you...I'll tell you everything," Koenma said, given into his fear of Yusuke's tirade. He walked out of the ruble that was once his desk, "you are correct Yusuke to assume that there is another side to this story...a darker, hidden side, known only to my father, king Enma and my self."

He looked up into Yusuke's eyes and Yusuke looked into his. As if snapped out of a trance, Yusuke could see the traces of exasperation, fatigue and sorrow in the young ruler's eyes, "I am sorry for all of the pain that I have caused everyone for not confiding in you, but, I did not think that the matter would go this far," Koenma lowered his childlike face in sorrow. All present, knew of course, that he was speaking of Hiei's disappearance.

"Koenma," Botan whispered sadly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Koenma lied to them...lied to her.

"Gather Kurama and Kuwabara, and meet back at Genkai's temple," at Yusuke's questioning glance towards gathering Kurama, Koenma added, "he is alive, you'll find him traveling on his way home. Bring him to the temple, and there I will tell you all."

"...right..." Yusuke said, and then hurried out of the office.

After Yusuke's departure, Botan stared at Koenma, and Koenma could do naught but stare at her. He lied to her, and he knew that she was hurt by that. However, she will be even more hurt after she discovers the extent to which he had lied to her...to the tentei and everyone else in Reikai.

==========

1:30 am

Kurama walked down the empty street of a quaint residential area in the silence of the night. His red hair and beautiful facial features shown magnificently in the moonlight making him resemble his original, steamy, persona, Yoko Kurama.

As Kurama walked his thoughts were focused upon one topic, Yumi Nakamura. He didn't know what to make of her; was she friend or foe? More importantly he didn't know what to make of his feeling towards her, yes, he was suspicious of her being linked to the dragon keepers, yes, he was almost certain that she was not human, and yes he also knew that she had a dual nature; however, he couldn't put aside the nagging feelings of desire that swam through his senses when he was near her. Her scent, which was akin to freesia after a light shower, clouded his mind and his judgment, and made it difficult to see reason that she could be a potential enemy, 'I must rid myself of these thoughts and feelings if I am to be of any help, right now I am not only a danger to myself but to my friends and team as well,'

Kurama turned, and walked down the pathway leading to his home. He was almost at the front door when he heard someone yelling at him from a distance, "Oy Kurama!!!!!" It was Yusuke.

Kurama sighed inaudibly, 'why does he not use my human name when he's screaming like a maniac in the streets?'

"Thank God you're ok," he said.

"Yes, I'm fine. What is it?" Kurama asked.

Yusuke narrowed his eyes at Kurama and watched him contemplatively, "Hey Kurama, you alright?" asked Yusuke a little concerned. He noticed that Kurama looked a little worn out and that his nerves seemed a bit frayed. He was actually showing signs of exasperation, an indication that everything was not all peaches and cream with the kitsune- turned –human.

Kurama seemed a bit shocked by the question, but then smiled slightly, "I'm just somewhat tired, it's been a long night,"

Yusuke snorted at that remark. He had always admired Kurama's subtlety and tact with a phrase, "that's an understatement if I ever heard one. Anyway, we gotta head to Grandma's. Ole pacifier breath is finally gonna tell us all the secrets surrounding Reikai's involvement with the dragon keepers."

"Secrets..." Kurama said, his mind drifting back to Yumi. Yusuke watched Kurama as he once again became lost in his thoughts.

"Kurama? Ready?" Kurama looked up and nodded, "Oh yeah, by the way, whatever happened to that chick you brought to the fair with you? Y'know Yumi. Is she a part of it?"

Kurama sighed again, thinking of the puzzle that was Yumi, "I don't know what she is, her actions and her words seem genuine, but there is something about her that gives me an uneasy feeling,"

"Well, hopefully we'll get some answers at grandma's,"

= Genkai's Temple 2:30 a.m.

"HIEI!!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!!!" Yusuke ran into Yukina's room where the fire demon sat sentry in the window sill, looking down at his sleeping sister.

Hiei sneered "Can you possibly be any louder?" he asked, annoyed that Yusuke had almost woken up his sister, "and yes, I am alive. I've survived much worse scrapes than that,"

Yusuke couldn't help the smile that came across his face. He had missed the little fire demon in the short time he had been missing. It was rather...nice to hear his rude, yet, welcomed retorts again.

Hiei couldn't see Yusuke's smile because his eyes were still fixed on his sister.

Kurama walked into the room as quiet and graceful as ever, and smiled warmly when he saw Hiei. His smile faded, however, when he caught sight of a slight scar on Hiei's left cheek. Even though the scar was faint, it wasn't present the last time he saw Hiei, which meant he must've been injured between now and then; and it wasn't like Hiei to be injured in battle, especially after becoming one with the dark dragon.

"Hiei, what happened?" Hiei didn't turn around when Kurama asked the question. His eyes remained on Yukina.

"Kai," he said silently.

Kurama seemed stunned by his answer and Yusuke seemed confused, "Who the hell is Kai?" he asked.

"Kai, the black dragon keeper, we met her a few nights back. How long ago was your battle Hiei?" Kurama asked.

"Three days ago,"

"Wait a minute, three days ago?" said Yusuke, "then where the heck were y-," Yusuke stopped when he noticed faint scars on Hiei's arm and one on his face. He also noticed that he seemed a bit more silent than usual, almost depressed or dejected.

"How did you get back here?" asked Kurama.

Hiei was silent for about a minute, "She found me," he said almost inaudibly, his gaze softening a bit upon the visage of the one he cared for the most. Finally, he looked up towards Kurama and Yusuke, "these demons are formidable...she used the Kokuryuha against me. Fire doesn't work against them, they're fueled by it and their speed is incredible,"

"Damn, so how in the hell did you survive?" asked Yusuke.

"...divine intervention," Hiei said dryly.

Yusuke and Kurama were speechless. The fact that someone could defeat Hiei so easily was unimaginable. Hiei, an A class demon, the only member of the Reikai Tentei that didn't lose a single match during the dark tournament; Hiei the only demon alive who ever mastered the darkness technique and became one with the dark dragon, one of the most powerful demons who ever walked the Earth. If someone like that was on the enemy's side, how could they ever stand a chance?

Just then Botan walked into the room to announce that Koenma had arrived. The four walked out of Yukina's room and into the main den of Genkai's temple. Kuwabara and Keiko, who had been dropped off at Genkai's after the attack at the carnival, sat in the den along with Genkai, Botan, George, and Koenma in his teenage form.

Hiei, Yusuke, Botan and Kurama joined the group, which sat in the middle of the main den. As soon as everyone was seated, Koenma stood and began immediately, "As you all know, you are here because I have...neglected to mention some things to you before you were sent on this mission," he paused, seeming a bit nervous, but he endeavored to continue, "After you all hear this, it is quite possible that you will not want to be a part of the Reikai Tentei any longer...well here goes. This mission was assigned to you, for the purpose of carrying out a personal vendetta for my father king Enma Daiou. This battle...this war between Reikai and the dragon keepers goes back many millennia, and was started by Reikai. We attacked them first."

Everyone was a bit speechless; they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Kurama was the first one to speak up, "What could you possibly have gained from going against them?"

Koenma sighed, "Nigenkai,"

"What!!!" everyone said stunned.

"Nigenkai is the true land of the dragons and the dragon keepers; it always has been; even before humans roamed this realm. There was a time when the dragons were becoming a powerful force, powerful enough to challenge Reikai. My father, of course, was not pleased with this. He wanted Reikai to be unmatched, and to accomplish this he went through...extreme measures." He sighed, not wanting to continue the story, but knowing he must.

"I don't understand, what extreme measures?" asked Yusuke.

"...creating the human race..." as another outburst of stunned replies ensued, Koenma calmly placed one hand up to silence them, "There's more I'm afraid. According to my father, the creation of the human race was a means to the end of gaining absolute power and control of Nigenkai.

"In order to create the new race, he abducted a multitude of lower class dragons, many of which were too young or too old to fight back, and purified their DNA and spirit of any draconic blood or ryuuki that was within them. The absolute purification of the body and spirit of its draconic essence resulted in the energy which now courses through each and every human being in Nigenkai...reiki.

"King Enma then placed these weaker beings in Nigenkai and then drew up a law stating that these beings, the humans, were property of Reikai and that any attack on them would be a direct assault on Reikai as well.

"Of course the dragons had no wish to fight Reikai, nor did they have any qualms about sharing Nigenkai with the humans. However, the humans did mind sharing living space with the dragons. They feared the dragons and did whatever they could to make their lives miserable. They even went as far as to hunt them down and try to kill them. Eventually, it came to a point where the dragons began to retaliate, which was, according to my father's law a direct assault upon Reikai itself. It was then that Reikai declared war on the dragons. That was the main reason why my father created the humans; he knew what their reactions towards the dragons would be and he knew that eventually the dragons would have to retaliate in order to survive. Humans were created to be and continue to be the pawns of King Enma Daiou.

"When the war started, the dragons and Reikai were equal in strength; and normally, the dragons would not have had any problems defeating Reikai. However, one facet to this scenario was overlooked, the humans. You see inside of each and every human being was a small trace of draconic blood and ryuuki that was 'overlooked' during the purification process. This small trace of power gave the humans unnatural abilities, similar to that of Yusuke's and Kuwabara's. It was this power, along with the power of Reikai, which crippled the dragons and forced them to retreat from Nigenkai and into the deepest pits of Makai."

After Koenma finished, everyone sat in silence, allowing the information that they just heard to sink in.

"So," Kurama said, "the human race came from the dragons,"

"Well more specifically, they evolved from the dragon keepers. You see, dragons cannot take human form, only dragon keepers have that ability. They also have the ability to change into their full dragon forms; however, this process takes a lot of power and is very painful. It is because of this that not many attempt to pull off the transformation."

"Wait, I don't understand, if every human has traces of draconic blood and ryuuki in them, why can't we sense it?" asked Botan.

"Over the millennia, the draconic presence that coursed through the humans diminished through generations of breeding. It is still present in them, however, it is dormant.

"And with all that in mind, my father stumbled upon another creation that would serve to secure place as the most powerful ruler. He set upon creating a task force, a group of fighters that would become so powerful that, just in case the dragons were to retaliate again, would be able to stand up to them and destroy them. this group of fighters is you all, the Reikai Tentei. All of the trials and missions that you have been sent on have been meant for one thing, to make you stronger, strong enough to rid my father of his greatest adversary, the dragons."

"It's like a bad dream or something," said Keiko.

"Yeah, I know. Al this time I thought we were the good guys," said Kuwabara.

Koenma sighed, "Yes, I know how angry you all must feel. My father has used you all and myself as his pawns to gain absolute power...but now...I am sorry once again, for I must ask you all something of dire importance. And if you all decline...then I will understand. Will you stand with Reikai...no with me, one last time and help to defeat the dragon keepers? I'll leave you all to think about this. When you have an answer, contact me with the communication mirrors," with that, the Reikai prince disappeared.

"Hmph, so what do you boys plan on doing, sitting around on your high and mighty laurels, waiting for Ningenkai to be taken over to get back at Reikai, or will you swallow your pride and help the almighty toddler?" asked Genkai.

"Do we really have a choice," said Kurama, "if we don't fight then all we know and love could be destroyed."

"Hiei?" asked Genkai .

"Hn, I could care less about Reikai's disputes, all I want is to even the score with that bitch Kai," he said nonchalantly.

"Kuwabara?"

"Yeah, I'm in. It is, after all, my duty as a man to protect my realm with all my manly power," said Kuwabara with his head held high and his eyes closed in foolish self pride.

A slight snort was heard in the background, "Hn, you mean it's your job to get your ass kicked and for us to do all of the work," Hiei retorted.

"WHAT!!! Take that back you mouse!!!" screamed Kuwabara.

"ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE," yelled Genkai to a fuming Kuwabara glaring at a smug Hiei. He so loved to torment the fool. "so dimwit, it's your turn now. What are you going to do?"

Yusuke sat Indian style with his legs and his arms folded and his eyes closed, "Like Kurama said, we don't have a choice," he said quietly as he got up and walked out of the shrine.

"...Yusuke?" Keiko whispered, as she watched the retreat of her boyfriend.

Before she could get up to follow him, she felt a hand on her shoulder forestalling her. It was Kuwabara. She read the look in his eyes clear, 'he just needs to be alone Keiko,' is what they said. She sat back down leaving Yusuke to his thoughts.

After what seemed an eternity of silent staring, Botan contacted Koenma and informed him of their decision.

=========

8:30 am Meiou High (I think that's how you spell Kurama's school name)

=

Kurama sat in his seat at Meiou high, class had already begun and his teacher was lecturing about the theory of stereochemistry, but he wasn't really listening to the lecture. A first, to say the least, for him. His mind was still fixed on all that he had found out earlier this morning, as well as Yumi.

His eyes found themselves staring at the empty seat in front of him, 'where are you?' he thought.

===== ====

12:00 pm: lunch

=

Kurama walked out of class at the sound of the lunch bell ringing. He was instantly bombarded by his 'fan club' the leader of whom was no other than Aya Tanaka. "Suuichi-kun, where are you going?"

Kurama tried his best not to sound annoyed or disgusted, being that he only got about three hours of sleep this morning, "I'm going to lunch, where else?" he said.

All of the girls giggled as if he had told some gut busting- funny joke. He planted a fake smile on his face, "Aya, you haven't by chance seen Yumi around today have you?"

Kurama could've sworn he saw the veins on the side of her head about to pop out and her eyes go ablaze, "yesssssssss, I saw her," she all but hissed, "the nerve of her actually cutting class today, hmph!" she lifted her head haughtily and closed her sniffing with disdain, "really Suuichi-kun I don't know what it is you see in her."

"mmm hmmm," all of the girls behind Aya nodded their heads in unison.

"an actual personality," he said as he began to walk off. All of the girls gasped at Suuichi's unorthodox behavior and Aya's eyes were throwing daggers at his retreating figure.

=

Kurama walked outside, thoughts of Aya and her groupies already gone from his mind, 'she's here, but where could she be?" Kurama concentrated on Yumi's energy signature and got a lock on it. He looked up to the roof of the school and saw slight figure with their back facing him, sitting on the ledge of the roof. He made his way up there, not really knowing why he was looking for her, or what he would say to her when he found her.

He opened the door to the roof top and there, sitting on the ledge in all of her glory was Yumi. She was staring down at the school courtyard and didn't notice or didn't bother to acknowledge his presence. "Shihiko," he said, trying to gain her attention. There was no reaction that he could see on her part, yet he knew that she had heard him. He wondered what exactly was wrong with her, "Shihiko," he said again, his voice holding a bit of concern in its tone.

She turned her head around slowly, almost reluctantly and stared at him. A subtle look of irony crossed her features, "Suuichi," she whispered almost sadly. He saw that she tried to smile but it too came across as sad.

"Are you alright?"

She stared at him for a while as if his question were mundane, "Hai, why do you ask," she said not convincingly.

Kurama watched her meditatively, something was wrong with her. It was as if everything she said was calculated, measured so that she wouldn't let anything slip out. She was also very withdrawn today, 'probably because last night's events,' he thought to himself. He knew that he was acting a bit more yoko-ish last night and that he had probably scared the hell out of her.

He walked towards her, with one hand in his pocket, and then he sat on the ledge next to her, her scent, a light freesia, plaguing his senses, he tried his best to ignore it and looked out at the courtyard, "an interesting view," He said, "Why have you isolated yourself here?"

He saw her look off to the side somewhere through his peripheral vision. He knew she was trying to avoid his gaze for some reason. A sure sign that she was hiding something from him, "I just needed some time to be alone, some time to think that's all," she said quietly.

"Yes," he pulled his gaze from the courtyard to stare at her beautiful features, "I've noticed that you're a bit withdrawn today. Would that have anything to do with last night's proceedings?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, "it's not everyday that you witness something so horrific," she turned, facing him. Her blush and golden eyes peering deeply into his emerald ones, "or to witness demons in human form roam about," she emphasized this and stared at him pointedly, as if she knew him for, exactly, what he was, "there presence only capable of destroying the lives they touch, both physically and emotionally...don't you agree?" her eyes hid nothing from him now, she knew...she knew he was different. Every single word she spoke slashed right through him, making him more aware of the fact that she was aware that he was not what he seemed. The next word she spoke confirmed all of his lingering suspicions, confirmed all of his feelings of familiarity, "...Yoko..."

When she uttered that name, Kurama could've sworn that all of the color drained from his face, even though his face showed no emotion. He felt a tinge of anger and violation at the fact that she knew his true identity. He withdrew from her both physically and emotionally- his face a hardened mask to belie the angered demon within. "Who are you?" he whispered lethally.

She closed her eyes, not saying anything for a while. His patience growing to an end Kurama voiced his question once again, holding a hint warning in his tone.

"Who am I? ... Oh, where do I begin? How can you not remember? I suppose I can understand it though, after all you never loved me...did you?" she opened her eyes and stared up at Kurama.

He watched her, unable to understand what or who she was. Yes, he knew that he had known her, but, when and how, that was the question.

She closed her eyes and suddenly began to glow. Her body becoming an entity of white light. Kurama got up and moved away from her, he pulled out a seed from his hair and materialized his famous rose whip, preparing to do battle. But the attack he was anticipating never came, instead the bright light being emitted from her melted away like hot wax, and as it melted away so to did the façade of the wavy haired brunette student. In its place appeared a girl with lustrous white hair, and golden crème skin which held a pearlescent appearance. Her human ears were replaced by delicate elfin ones with two golden rings and a fang in each lobe along with two golden rings in the tops of her ears.

Kurama gasped as he saw her. She opened her eyes, which were now more brilliant and demonic than before, holding an equal amount of gold as blush. From her hand, she materialized a dark red lotus which Kurama had recognized almost immediately. His mind flashed back one century ago. He remembered everything, him in his Youko form gazing intently upon her saddened form.

'so then leave...' she had said back then.

He walked towards her with an object in his hand. He looked down at its beautiful form once again before raising it to tuck protectively in her hair. It was the Makai lotus, a very rare and very beautiful flower which reminded him of her. It was the exact flower which she now held in her hand.

He looked at her beautiful form seated on the school ledge once again and he could only utter one word, for the emotions which consumed him at the moment prevented him from saying any more, "Shihiko," he whispered.

The woman he had abandoned for all of the wrong reasons a century ago had returned as his enemy.

=

well I know that that was a bit anti climatic, mainly because it was already done last chapter, but it had to be rewritten in Kurama's point of view, and you all needed to know about all of the back handed, sneaky stunts Enma Daiou pilled on the dragon keepers. Well that's all for now, I'm going in to have surgery tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to update soon.

BUT the next chapter, 'the truth emerges' will have more Shihiko x Kurama goodness and the TRUE plan of the dragon keepers will be revealed, also be expecting some seasonal changes wink wink

Till the next chapter!!!


	14. The Truth Emerges

Once again a huge shout out to Insane Rurounis...my only true reviewer!!! Thank you sooooooo much for you loyalty, my only fan!

Chapter 14: The Truth Emerges

Kurama gazed upon the beautiful figure sitting on the ledge of the roof of Meiou High. Her glistening white hair wafted gently in the breeze as the tranquil sound of tinkling bells could be heard from a silver anklet she wore. As the façade of Yumi Nakamura melted away, so too, did the uniform she wore. In its place she wore an all white ensemble consisting of a cold shoulder wrap/shirt and three quarter length, white, baggy pants (like the ones that Genkai wears) which were kind of sheer , and white slippers. The garnet and silver torque she wore, which he now recognized as the eye of Shin Ryuushi, also changed. It was now tighter on her neck and bigger; it also seemed to be...attached to her skin as several claw like appendages reached from the choker and melted off into her skin. The stone was now bigger, having taken up the whole front portion of her neck and the necklace, and was much more brilliant.

Kurama stared at her in awed silence, "What is it Kurama, you look as though you've seen a ghost," she said in a mocking tone.

"A ghost from my past you might say." He whispered. He never thought that he would see her, of all people, again. She was stunning, exactly as he remembered her; only the woman he envisioned in his dreams was no where near as beautiful as the one seated before him. "Shihiko, what are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the view. What does it look like I am doing?" she said, with her eyebrows slightly raised and her features carrying an innocent expression.

"Forever the joker aren't you," he said in a serious tone.

She smiled cynically, "Oh Kurama, Your problem is that you need to get more fun out of life." 1.)

"What are you and the other dragon keepers planning Shihiko? I know you're involved in their current plans, why else would you be in Ningenkai," he said, his patience waning.

"But, I already told you, I'm enjoying the scenery. I really love what the ningens have done with the place; very homey."

"Don't make me ask you again," he said in a deadly silent voice.

Upon hearing the hostility in his voice, Shihiko's cynical attitude faded into a stoic lethal look. "THAT is not the question that should be addressed here, now is it?" She stood up from the roof ledge and began to walk slowly towards him, "after all, with my sudden appearance and the revelation of the lovely tale of evil king Enma's after school projects being revealed to you, the pieces of our plan should become quite apparent, that is, if you apply that huge youko brain of yours to the mix... No, our plan is not what we should discuss. Instead let us talk about," she stopped her approach when she was only about three inches away from him, "why it is you abandoned me, Yoko."

Kurama felt his chest cavity constrict slightly at her words. "Shihiko, I-,"

"I know you had feelings for me. I felt it when we made love, I saw it in your eyes when you looked at me, and I heard it in your voice when you spoke to me... so why..." she felt the barrier she had erected around her heart weaken and begin to crumble.

Upon seeing the sorrow etch slowly into her features Kurama took her consolingly into his arms and held her tight, "please try to understand, I was not the man that you thought I was. I was heartless, and I didn't want to be tied down to anyone. I thought our joining would be an adventure, and...it was; but that was all it was and when you acquired the Shaii, that adventure as well as our own personal adventure ended. I'm sorry if I hurt you, that was the last thing I wanted to do," his hand slid almost wantonly down her back and entangled in her silky white hair.

His mind flashed back to the time they shared together. A time spent making love then talking throughout the night and fighting side by side. To be perfectly honest, he had missed her, and more importantly, he did have feelings for her. That was the real reason why he left. He was afraid that he was beginning to fall for her, and it, the feeling, was more than what he wanted in his life at that moment. It was more than what he was prepared for. The only way he knew how to deal with the situation and avoid being emotionally attached was by leaving her. He never thought that her mind would be set on him for so long though; he though that she would get over him in no time. It seemed as though he was wrong in that case.

He was brought out of his thoughts by her voice, "So you mean...you felt nothing; that you slept with me only to pass the time during our travels?!" She pulled away from him and stared into his eyes.

Kurama stared back at her, but said nothing. At his silent reply, Shihiko's eyes changed into a more golden color and the blush began to melt away. "Fine then. It seems as though you and I are enemies now. Enjoy spending time in the human world while it lasts, because soon, only the dragons will inhabit this land; and the humans will be the sustenance which will revive our domination over this world. Farewell Kurama."

With that, she began to walk away, but was forestalled by Kurama's iron grip around her upper arm. She turned around to find Kurama's cold eyes lancing her, "Believe me Shihiko," he spoke in a deadly low tone, "if you do anything to cause harm to the human race," he brought her closer to his body and grabbed her chin with his other hand, "then rest assured, you will die by my hand...and I will be merciless," her eyes narrowed into glittering golden slits at his threat.

No one ever speaks that way to HER...EVER, "I'll have it no other way fox," she hissed. She released a blaze of white fire around her upper arm, forcing Kurama to let go of her. Soon her entire body became engulfed in white flames and she disappeared.

Kurama was left on the roof alone. He opened and closed his hand, trying to relieve it of the pain that her fire had caused. As he stood there his mind was racing, trying to contemplate what Shihiko's plan could be. He knew that it involved the use of the Eye of Shin Ryuushi, but how the eye was to be used was unknown to him. He would have to consult with Koenma and the others to find out.

Somewhere in the forests of Japan

"Ran!" Shihiko stormed through the dense wooded area until she got to a clearing, "Ran! Where are you, you bitch?!" Shihiko looked around the clearing for the little fiery headed dragon keeper. She heard a yawn come from above and to the right of her. She looked up and, low and behold, there was Ran, lounging on a tree limb on the outskirts of the clearing.

"You rang, my lady?" she said lazily, raising both of her arms behind her head to serve as a cushion against the tree.

"How is it that you can so thoroughly manage to piss me off in one gesture?" she asked irked at Ran's laziness.

She smirked, satisfied at pissing Shihiko off "A gift I suppose...why are you here?"

"The time has come for this plan to be put into action; I am through with observing this abominable race. Contact Ise and tell her to meet me at 'the site' so that we can commence the operation tonight at 7:00 pm."

Ran looked down cheekily at Shihiko, her crimson and gold eyes twinkling in amusement, "So, you finally decided to move forward with the plan hmm? It's about time," Ran jumped down from the tree and landed right in front of Shihiko. She was wearing the same red and black ensemble she wore earlier that morning. "So, what may I ask prompted you to go forward with the plan so hastily? I mean, you looked as if you were having so much fun toying with that little red head, Suuichi. Did something happen between you two?" She said teasingly.

Shihiko looked stonily at her, "Just find Ise," she said and then proceeded to walk away.

"Aye aye, Capitan," she said in a low voice.

Koenma's office Reikai: 6:30 pm

Koenma stared at the ensemble gathered before him. Kurama and Kuwabara were standing next to each other; Kurama enlightening Kuwabara about how Yumi and Shihiko were one and the same person, for the fourth time. Hiei was standing in a dark corner staring off into space; and Yusuke was...well...doing the same thing as Hiei, surprisingly. It was obvious that he was taking the news of Reikai being corrupt hard. They all, with the exception of Hiei, had tried to engage in conversation with him since Koenma broke the news to him, but it had been to no avail. The only thing any of them could do was wait until, his feelings of betrayal subsided.

Koenma stood, "So Kurama, what exactly do you know about this Shihiko woman? What is she capable of?"

"Well, she is a white dragon keeper. Her powers have been increased do to the fact that she evoked the power of the phoenix race about a century ago by wielding the Shaii. I can't really tell you how much power she gained nor can I tell you about the types of powers she has, except for the fact that she is a priestess or a mystic of some sort; she can create and manipulate white flames, and more importantly, she is the wielder of the Eye of Shin Ryuushi."

Koenma slumped down into his chair, his face paling considerably, "The eye? That means that she can evoke the powers of Shin Ryuushi!"

"Yes, she told me, long ago, that that was the main purpose of the white dragon, to evoke Shin Ryuushi,"

"So who is this Shin Ryuushi?" asked Kuwabara.

Koenma scowled and looked down, "He is their God, the first and most powerful dragon who ever existed. It is said that he would one day come back to restore power to the dragon race."

"Then that must be their plan. To resurrect Shin Ryuushi and take back Ningenkai. Hn, impressive," said Hiei.

"Yes. But in order for them to resurrect him, the wielder of the Eye must gain an enormous amount of energy. This is the only way this Shihiko could sustain the overwhelming power of summoning Shin. However, the question remains as to how or where they will get this large amount of energy," said Koenma. (A/N: Can you all guess where the power will come from?).

Kurama's mind suddenly flashed back to his argument with Shihiko earlier in the day.

= Flashback =

Shihiko's eyes flared like embers. "Fine then. It seems as though you and I are enemies now. Enjoy spending time in the human world while it lasts, because soon, only the dragons will inhabit this land; and the humans will be the sustenance which will revive our domination over this world. Farewell Kurama."

= End Flashback =

"...The humans will be the sustenance which will revive our domination over this world..." Kurama said out loud. Everyone turned to face him. He remained silent, pondering the meaning of her words, oblivious to the others' staring. "The humans! Of course! That is where they will get the energy from. The Eye of Shin Ryuushi drains the hidden energy force, or the small amount of ryuuki, from the humans, empowering Shihiko for the resurrection," everyone stared at Kurama in askance.

"So, you got all of that from that one statement," said Yusuke cynically.

"It's been evident ever since Yumi or Shihiko arrived in Ningenkai; we just were oblivious to it. For example at our first meeting at Kiate's, everyone in the café, with the exception of Yumi and me, were all unusually exhausted. She must've been draining everyone in the café of their energy. It came to a point where all of the patrons and the staff were nearly dead on their feet. I must admit that even I have become quite weary in her presence at times."

"But that doesn't make sense, why wouldn't she just drain everyone immediately? Why go through all of the trouble with attacking the carnival and Hiei? Why all of the twists and turns?" asked Koenma.

Kurama put his right hand up to his chin and began to contemplate the reasons for this, "perhaps the eye has its limitations as well. Maybe she can't absorb that much energy at one time or maybe she needs time to prepare the eye for the absorption, who knows.

"But, if there is, in fact, a limitation for the eye, that would explain all of the battles that have ensued between us: The attack on the carnival, the fights with Cheng and Jun Pei, Hiei's encounter with Kai and Jun Pei's 'supposed' death. Perhaps each of these events have been tools to divert our attention away from the most important factor; Shihiko stealing the energy from every human within the vicinity!"

"Kurama, I think you're on to something," said Koenma.

"Wait a minute; Yumi's been here for a while right? So how much energy does she need in order to bring that Shin guy back anyways? Shouldn't she have enough be now?"

"Well that depends Kuwabara. If she had a lot of contact with humans, which I suspect she has, then she should be able to revive Shin Ryuushi any day now."

"Koenma!!!"

"Koenma sir!!!"

The two mingled voices of Botan and George yelling reverberated throughout the Reikai palace hallways. The two bounded into Koenma's office, unceremoniously, nearly toppling over one another.

"Oh look here come the two pains in my ass," Koenma said under his breath. The two finally made there way to Koenma's desk trying to catch their breath before they spoke, "Botan, can you explain to me why you two have bomb -rushed your way in here?"

"Sir... the dragon keepers... have launched another... attack. They've pillowed all of... Japan in a devastating blizzard. The cold is so severe that people are beginning to freeze to death!"

"WHAT! Ogre! Put it on screen pronto!!" said Koenma. The blue, tiger striped underwear clad ogre rushed to Koenma's deluxe projection screen and turned the channel to the streets of Ningenkai. The scene before the Tentei was horrible. Homes and buildings were halfway covered in snow; some parts of human bodies could be seen, frozen and emerging slightly from the white plague.

"This is horrible," said Botan.

"How could they do this, the monsters!" said Kuwabara.

By this time Yusuke had removed himself from the corner to stare at the abomination presented before him, "Keiko...mom,"

"...mother..." Kurama had whispered softly.

"Hey, what the heck is that?" asked Kuwabara. He pointed to the top of screen where a conglomeration of whitish, golden light surrounded by blue could be seen floating up to the sky, where it hovered ominously. The lights grew in number and lit up the entire sky.

"...Could it be?" whispered Koenma.

"The ryuuki and reiki from the dead humans...they're collecting them,"

"Hn, I think they've made their move, Jr." said Hiei.

"Koenma," said Kurama, "about how long can the humans in the city last with the conditions like this?"

Koenma's face turned grim, "Not more that three hours I'm afraid. After that, not many humans will be left,"

"THAT'S IT KOENMA!!! WHERE ARE THEY?!" hollered Yusuke. He walked over to Koenma's new desk and slammed his fist into it. Koenma sighed in relief when this one didn't shatter into a million pieces. "You wanted us to fight for you, so now I'm do'in it! Now give me the stupid location so I can go and kick her scaly ass back to Makai!!!"

Koenma fumbled with the controller to his television to pinpoint the location of the one causing the snow storm. His screen brought up a map with three, very bright white and golden spots in one area which was separate from the conglomeration of energy from the humans. "They are on a promontory bluff, about fifty miles outside of Kyoto. Botan! Set up a portal to that area on the double!"

"Yes sir!"

The tentei followed Botan out of Koenma's office, leaving the ancient toddler hoping that they make it on time and save Ningenkai.

= Fifty miles outside of Kyoto =

Three lonely figures stood on a promontory bluff looking up at the beautiful night sky. However, something was not quite right with the scenery. The sky, instead of it being a star filled, dark sapphire, contained the unusual hues of blazing white and golden masses of energy which lit up the night like the fourth of July.

Shihiko, Ran along with another figure were the causes of this phenomenon. Ran breathed in the cool night air and sighed, "Ah, there's nothing like stealing human souls under a moonlit, energy filled sky, right Ise?"

The third figure, whose back was facing Ran and Shihiko, nodded, "Indeed, I was just thinking the same thing," said the woman in an ethereal voice. She turned around, to meet the eyes of the other two, ice blue with striking gold flecks, met Blush with golden flecks and crimson with golden flecks, "What a coincidence." She said. The woman was strikingly beautiful. She had knee length pale blue hair and very pale skin which was almost bluish in color. She wore a white kimono that flared slightly in the back, like a mermaid tail and on top of her forehead was a symbol written in dark blue ink, which, in the dragon language, translated to, ice lily. Her eyes were accentuated with the same blue ink which adorned her forehead; and in comparison to the others present, she was extremely tall, almost 6 ft.

Shihiko smiled softly at the two's antics, "Just remember keep it going. The more souls released, the more powerful our Lord will become."

"Great, well it looks like we haven't missed the party guys," a male voice range through the air causing the three women to look back in surprise. There, behind them stood the Reikai Tentei, poised and ready to do battle.

=Shihiko's P.O.V. =

As she turned around, she knew what she was going to see, Kurama and the rest of Koenma's lackies coming to rain on their parade. She almost smiled as she saw Kurama decked out in a white Gi, so similar to the one he wore as Yoko (A/N: Kurama changed after school before he went to Koenma's palace). His eyes were cold and lethal, the green of his irises stained mercilessly by the gold fury of the youko beneath. Yet, there was something yielding in his eye, something that clearly spoke that he didn't want to hurt her. Upon reading his look she couldn't help the tiniest of smiles that escaped her. Her eyes wandered to the other members of his group, she had already met Yusuke, Botan and Kuwabara; Yusuke, looking like he wanted to smash in her face with his fist, Kuwabara, looking as confused as ever and Botan, trying to glare menacingly at her, but failing miserably; present only to take up space. 'My god humans are so easy to read' she thought. The fourth member of the group was about the same size as Ran, only about a few inches taller, for the top of Ran's head came up to the base of her neck, and this stranger, clad in black, came up to her mid cheek, minus his hair. He was very handsome, his emotionless face giving nothing of himself away, but his eyes, a blazing crimson, burned with a wild fury. 'He is obviously here to kill someone.' She mused.

=Normal P.O.V. =

"So Kurama, you finally made it. I was waiting for you, you know. I was waiting to feel your 'merciless' assault." Her eyes shifted to Yusuke, "My Yusuke, is anything wrong, you look so flustered," Yusuke's eyes turned a different color, darker and more malicious.

"Listen Dragon bitch! Call off your stinkin' attack before I pound my fist into your freakin' pie hole!!!" he yelled.

Shihiko smiled secretly recalling her previous musing about Yusuke looking as if he wanted to pound in someone's face. Her gaze fell of the one she assumed was the Jaganshi, Hiei. "So, you must be Hiei, the wielder of the black dragon. I must admit that I am impressed with your accomplishments. It is not a common thing for someone not possessing draconic blood to master such a technique. No wonder Kai is so enamored with you."

"Hn, I don't care whether she's enamored with me or not, I'm more interested in jamming my sword down her throat and sending her to hell. But, as for you, if you are so impressed with my abilities, I wouldn't mind giving you a private demonstration of my powers," he said suggestively, pulling his sword from out of his cloak and unsheathing it.

She smiled at him, "perhaps...another time. That is, if you're not dead the next time I see you. However, now I must leave you,"

"What's your rush buttercup? We're just getting started here." Said Yusuke, "and hey, what's the deal with your tiny friend over there. Yo red! You just gonna stand there or are you gonna come and get the beat down of your life!"

Ran felt the hairs on the back of her neck begin to prickle. The crimson in her eyes melted away into a smoldering gold, "insect!" she hissed, "you should be careful what you ask for ignorant ningen," she materialized a blazing red and golden ball of fire in her hands, the heat from it melting the snow around them for a couple of feet, "you might receive more than you bargained for," her eyes were almost fully gold now and were glowing. A state in which no one would want to get Ran, or any dragon for that matter, in.

"Urameshi, what about my honor code, we can't fight a girl," said Kuwabara in a panic.

"Then stand on the sidelines and cover you stupid eyes!" he retorted.

"I'm sorry to intrude upon this scintillating conversation, but neither Ran nor lady Shihiko will be your opponents today. I'm afraid that pleasure is reserved for me," Ise sang. Her beautiful voice making Kuwabara and Yusuke stop in their tirade.

The beautiful woman glided towards them, and stood before the quintet. My lady, you may leave now, I'll handle this nuisance on yours, lord Kairen and LORD Shin Ryuushi's behalf."

Shihiko looked towards Kurama once again. His eyes never left her throughout this encounter. She felt his gaze burning into her throughout the conversation. She turned around and prepared to leave, "Sayonara Yoko," she said, turning her back to him.

Before she could leave, she heard his voice ring through the air, "Shihiko!" he launched himself towards her preparing to attack her, when suddenly a wall of ice came in front of him. He screeched to a halt before he collided with the shimmering ice.

Suddenly in a blur of black, Hiei came from behind Kurama and sliced through the ice wall a couple of times, his blade heated by his ki. When he was done. The wall collapsed in a pile of slush making a cloud of snow rise from the fallen remnants of the wall.

The Tentei waited for the snow cloud to disappear, expecting to find the dragon trio still there, however, they were only greeted by the beautiful visage of Ise. An ominous wind, which they could only assume came from her, wafted the locks of her ice blue hair and white kimono. Her face remained passive, holding only a Mona Lisa smile, which only cast her in a more mysterious light. "Please forgive me for the serious ass whopping I'm about to give you," she said as she bowed. She stretched out her hands and closed her eyes. Soon her hands became surrounded by a white aura which stretched between her hands and beyond. When the light began to dissipate a silver staff with intricate designs of fighting dragons lay gently in her hands. She lowered herself in a fighting stance, getting ready to attack.

"Bring it!" said Yusuke.

Ok, that's chapter 14. hope you guys like it. I disregarded homework in order to finish it so enjoy!!!

Anyways, were getting close to the end of this saga!!! Aren't you all excited, I know I am, because the next saga is freakin cool!!!

Oh well the next chapter is the battle between Ise and the tentei, and it's called fly to Kyoto. Will try to update soon, Tchao!!!

my fav. Line from silence of the lambs. Hannibal says it to Clarice before he escapes from his prison. I recommend any and all of the Hannibal books or movies!

Also I updated my bio page so check it out when you have the chance!


	15. Fly to Kyoto

Alright peoples, it's ASS KICKING time!!! We have, according to my notes, only 2 more chapters till the end of this saga, and then...WE GO TO MY FAVORITE SAGA...THE DARK SAGA!!!! I think you all will really like that one.

THANK YOU ash the wanderer!!! I can't express to you how happy I am that another person reviewed!!! I fully appreciate Insane Rurounis' reviewing, no doubt about that, but, now I have another fan I feel like crying tears of joy, .

But thank you, my two fans for reviewing, you all make me soooooo happy!!!

Well with no further ado, here's chapter 15, Fly to Kyoto.

The tentei stared into the cold, ice blue and golden eyes of Ise. They didn't know what to expect of her, although they did know one fact, her powers were centered on the manipulation of ice. She stood poised and ready to fight. Her silver staff held casually in her graceful hands. Her white kimono wafted gently in the cold wind, "so, are you going to stand there smelling the flowers or are you going to come over here and fight?" she asked in that singing voice of hers (A/N: just to be clear, she's not really singing, her voice is just very pretty).

"Don't worry 'princess'," said Yusuke in his usual cocky voice, "we haven't forgotten about you," he crouched in a position ready to fight, "let's go!" With that, he launched at her at an almost impossible speed, disappearing when he first took off. He reappeared, his fist no more than three inches away from her face. She had time only to crack that Mona Lisa smile of hers before Yusuke's fist crashed into her face, shattering her entire body as if she were made of naught but porcelain.

He jumped back in shock, not understanding what exactly was going on, 'why didn't she block, she just let me wail on her,' he thought.

"YUSUKE!!!" Kurama shouted from the background. Yusuke turned around, but it was too late, Ise's silver staff smashed into Yusuke's abdomen making him double over in pain as a gush of blood spurted out of his mouth. Without any warning she slammed the base of her staff into the ground and then kicked it up into Yusuke's chin causing him to fly backwards. Before Yusuke could even hit the ground she charged after him, her staff twirling over her head. As she neared him she made a move to strike him once again, however she was forestalled when a thin green vine lashed out around her wrist and staff, stinging her.

She turned around to find Kurama glaring at her, gold tainting his normally emerald eyes. His rose whip wrapped many times around his right arm. He grew the whip out with thorns and was surprised to find that they didn't cut through her flesh. However the thorns were chafing Ise's skin almost miserably even though they didn't cut off her hand. She winced slightly as she pulled her arm closer to her free arm. When it was close enough her free hand grabbed the end of the staff and pulled on it forcefully releasing a cane sword. In a swift and elegant move she pivoted on a 45 degree angle and twirled the sword in her right hand gracefully slicing through Kurama's rose whip. After the whip was cut, she turned twirling the sword above her head. Suddenly Hiei flashed in front of her with his katana poised and ready to attack. The two blades collided with one another sending sparks of energy flying from the force of the attack. They exchanged blows, Hiei expertly slicing through the air with a series of lateral cuts and lunges, Ise parrying off every single one of them. However, under Hiei's impressive skill, Ise could not get in a single counter attack; he was too good and too fast.

During the exchange between Hiei and Ise, Kurama and Kuwabara ran over to Yusuke to check on him. The young Reikai detective lay sprawled in the snow, the front of his shirt stained with blood from where Ise's staff made contact with his abdomen. "Urameshi snap out of it," said Kuwabara. Kurama lifted Yusuke up slightly off of the ground. The detective coughed up some blood as he gained consciousness.

"What the hell..." he said weakly, lifting up his arm to wipe off the trickle of blood down the side of his mouth. His vision returned blurrily as he tuned his sights on Hiei slashing blow to blow with Ise. He could see that the little fire demon was giving Ise a run for her money.

"Yusuke," said Kurama snapping him out of his observations, "can you stand? You took quite a blow from Ise." Yusuke nodded, and Kurama helped him to stand.

Hiei and Ise broke away from each other, Ise out of breath and sweating slightly, Hiei barely drawing a breath and dry as sand.

"You're quite good Jaganshi, I never would've thought someone of your stature to be such an accomplished swordsman,"

"Hn, well that's too bad for you, I pity such a creature that has the gull to challenge me and not know what they are getting themselves into."

The woman before him smiled secretively, her ice blue and golden eyes twinkling in mischief, "I wonder, why is it that you hold back my midget friend. Are you too honorable a man to strike a female, do you wish to spare my 'frail disposition' from any harm or damage?"

"Don't be simple. Do not think to confuse me with that carrot topped imbecile back there," said Hiei while pointing his thumb behind him at Kuwabara. He heard Kuwabara's retort which sounded suspiciously like, 'what, you dumpy bastard take that back!' Hiei smirked evilly "I merely wish to know who it is that I am about to kill, and besides, you'll be excellent practice for my duel with that bitch Kai."

Ise's eyes narrowed into and icy gold fury, "So you wish to know who I am do you? Well let me give a little introduction through kicking your ass," she said in that constantly docile voice of hers.

"Hn, there's no need for that, for I have already drawn up a pretty accurate picture of 'who you are' already. You are simply the distraction the lackey used and designed for only one purpose, a desperate attempt to keep the enemy busy for a short period of time, but not meant to return home with a victory. This is simply due to the fact that you are too weak to stand up against us and live for long,"

"How dare you," Ise whispered in a lethal tone.

"Hn, sorry to break it to you my dear, but you had to find out sooner or later," said Hiei with a devilish smirk.

"You'll pay for that!" she screamed as her entire body glowed in a light blue aura. Beads of ice and energy began to gather around her, "FROZEN FURY!!!" a huge blast of energy and ice flew towards Hiei. He simply smirked as the ball of ice hurtled itself at him.

"Hiei!!!" shouted Kurama and Yusuke

"ahg!!! Shorty's gonna die!!!" screamed Kuwabara with both of his hands grasping the sides of his head.

The ball of energy smashed into what seemed to be Hiei, except that it stopped no more than an inch away from him. It seemed to be struggling somehow with some unseen force. Suddenly an aura of bright, scalding flames surrounded Hiei. Ise gasped as she watched her perfect attack shatter and melt before her very eyes.

As the last of her attack dissipated Ise felt a true twinge of fear over come her. Hiei smirked and walked closer to her very slowly, "let me guess, they didn't inform you that I was a fire demon right," Ise tried to back away but was greatly surprised when Hiei came abreast of her at a lightening quick speed. "going somewhere? Judging from your startled expression fire must be you weakness, which means if I were to use my full power on you, then you would most certainly meet you end. However, I am not going to do that...yet. I am going to offer you an ultimatum, either you tell us where Shihiko is and how to stop the ritual fro reviving Shin Ryuushi, or I am going to deliver a slow and utterly painful death unto you which I will thoroughly enjoy and when I begin, you will truly wish and beg for me to put you out of your misery. And believe me it will be a VERY slow and Very painful torture which will make purgatory look like Barney's play land."

Ise paused, not sure what she should do. If she betrayed lady Shihiko, she knew that death would be out of the question, Shihiko would torture her mind body and soul for all of eternity, not to mention Lord Kairen's punishment for betraying his beloved. However, if she didn't tell this Hiei what he wanted to know, then she would surely know the same fate. At Ise's hesitation to answer him, Hiei grabbed her arm forcefully and released his ki at only 20 of his energy. The heat emitted from his hand caused Ise to real and scream in pain. She fell to the snowy ground clutching her hurt forearm.

"Yes please, tell me no, give me the pleasure of tormenting you," said Hiei.

"Ahg! Hiei what are you doing? She's a girl you can't hurt a girl!"

"Save your idealistic notions of chivalry for you medieval fairytales, we are at war, and she is a prisoner of war."

"Listen shorty, if you keep it up..'

"jeez Kuwabara, will you give it a rest already," said Yusuke as he interrupted Kuwabara.

Hiei, who was barely paying attention to the exchange between Yusuke and Kuwabara, knelt down to whisper to her, "do not think that I will have mercy on you because you are a woman," he said as her removed a stray lock of her hair from her beautiful face, "I will get the answers I seek one way," he let his eyes stray down the length of her body suggestively, "or the other," at his veiled threat Ise's eyes widened. If Ise had known anything about Hiei, she would have known he was bluffing. The Jaganshi was very honorable and would never take advantage of a woman under any circumstances, however, as luck would have it, she didn't know anything about Hiei's strict honor code and therefore did not know that he was bluffing. "where is Shihiko," he whispered.

She began panting, "she- she is on the highest bluff overlooking Kyoto. There is a shrine inside of a cave on the bluff. About one mile inside of the cave you'll find the shrine. That is where the ritual will take place."

"Hn, good girl," he knew she was telling the truth for he was reading her mind throughout her confession, "now run along and hide yourself before your betters find out and take your life."

Ise smiled her sad Mona Lisa smile and looked down at her burned arm, "there's no where I can hide now, my life is over." She said. Hiei watched her as she said this and then watched as she produced a dagger of ice and plunged it through her heart. She fell lifeless into the snow which began to turn into pinkish red mush beneath her. Hiei looked down at her shining blue and golden eyes and then closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he knelt down and closed her eyes gently.

He turned back to the group who were staring at him silently, "she's in Kyoto, we have to hurry, I can feel that the ritual is beginning,"

"right, let's go," said Yusuke as he and Kuwabara darted away from the scene. Kurama stayed behind and stared at Hiei. He didn't know what it was, but something about Ise's suicide unnerved him. He couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly the Jaganshi was feeling...anger...sadness...regret, those were too simple emotions to place upon his feelings.

"Kurama," said Hiei as he stared at the kitsune, "for your sake I hope you can rid yourself of your emotions and put this cold blooded bitch out of her misery," Hiei walked past Kurama but stopped a few feet away from him, "or I will," he threw behind his shoulders.

Kurama, closed his eyes, Hiei knew of his lingering feelings towards Shihiko, he knew that he had second thoughts about hurting and going against her. And Hiei was right, he had to rid himself of these emotions once and for all. For this was not the same woman who he fell in love with a century ago. This was a cold blooded template of the woman he adored; and somehow he had to find a way to destroy her.

shrine to Shin Ryuushi: a mountain top overlooking Kyoto

Shihiko sat at a bureau looking at her visage in a polished mirror in front of her. She wore a white sleeveless gown with many sheer layers which made it slightly translucent in appearance. She also wore kimono arm socks which were also white and were clasped to her upper arms by silver dragon cuffs. An older woman with taupe colored hair lined with silver strands and warm brown eyes was behind her brushing her long white hair, making it fit for a princess. The woman wore the garb of a shrine priestess and looked kindly down upon Shihiko as if she were her daughter.

As she watched herself in the mirror a sudden, powerful chill ran through her body making her quake and perspire slightly.

"Shihiko! Shihiko?!!" the older woman sputtered in worry. Shihiko shook her head slightly and brought her hand up to her forehead.

"I'm fine Hitomi-san, it's just that,"

just then Ran walked into the room upon hearing the commotion, "What's going on," she said after seeing Shihiko's disposition, "getting cold feet,"

Shihiko glared at Ran, "Ise is dead," she said quietly.

Ran looked at her blankly, "And?"

"What do you mean 'and' she's dead,"

"What exactly were you expecting, that she would destroy our foes and return victoriously? Come on you knew she was significantly weaker than they were, so stop pretending to be hurt."

"Death is not beautiful nor is it to be kept in high esteem. Death is painful, sorrowful and not to be taken lightly, regardless of whose it is," she said silently.

Ran rolled her eyes and said "whatever, it's time to start the ritual," she walked out of the room leaving Shihiko alone with Hitomi.

"It's time, my daughter," said Hitomi. She caressed her cheek gently, "I have waited for this moment since you were a child and you were given to me by your true parents. It was then that I became your mother and your father. I have poured all of my knowledge and power into you and now it is yours to do with it what you will."

Shihiko closed her eyes and brought her hand up to Hitomi's on her cheek and squeezed it gently, "Hitomi-san, please tell me, am I doing the right thing?" Shihiko looked up into those warm brown eyes for reassurance.

"This is not for me to decide. Do you feel that this is the right thing to do? If so, then go through with it, however, if in your heart, you feel that this is wrong, that it should not come to be, then do not force yourself to do it for others. follow your own heart and conscience, whatever you choose I will still love you."

Shihiko walked to the alter of Shin Ryuushi. The shrine was made of all gold, the walls, the ceiling the floor, everything and every wall had inscriptions on it with engravings of dragons in them. Each pillar holding up the ceiling represented every race of dragon, for every type of blue dragon there was a pillar dedicated for each one, which was made of a stone representing each race. The black dragon pillar was made of black diamond, the red dragon pillar was made of rubies, the purple dragon of amethyst, the bronze dragon pillar made of bronzed and so on and so forth. The ceiling made of gold had images of the gold and white dragon intertwined with one another, the white dragon made of pearl, the gold, made of gold.

Hanging above the alter was a huge golden eyes with an onyx pupil in its depths. Shihiko stood directly underneath this hanging eye and raised her arms gracefully above her head. The position made it seem as if the eye was floating right above her hands. She closed her eyes and began chanting "omynaise conspectae omynaise oratae ( hear me sky, hear me earth) omynaise Shinae Ryuushiae, omynaise eroyaishee vanae (hear me Shin Ryuushi, hear me every clan). As she continued each and very pillar began to light up one by one very slowly as she asked permission from every clan and race.

Hitomi and Ran watched from the background, Hitomi with pride and joy, Ran with an air of nonchalance. Suddenly, a huge blue ball of energy shot through the doors of the shrine decimating it on contact, "Rei-gun!!!" shouted a male voice.

Ran and Hitomi shot their glares to the smoke filled doors, as the smoke cleared there stood the Reikai tentei poised for battle.

"Well well well look who's here," said Yusuke, "You guys are so rude, making us go through so much trouble to find you,"

"well you took your time getting here fools," said Ran, "I hope you've come prepared to die,"

"Hn, we just came to crash your little party, hope you don't mind," said Hiei

"well that is unfortunate for you, because you have come too late. The ritual has already begun and it cannot be stopped."

Kurama looked towards the alter where Shihiko was standing. She was chanting wildly in a language which she could only assume was the dragon language. Her entire body was enveloped in a white and golden aura which burned hotly and brightly around her.

'Shihiko,' he said silently

"well it looks as though we're just gonna have to kick your sorry asses in order to put to an end," said Yusuke not noticing Kurama's obvious worry over the woman at the alter.

"sorry, but I'm out of your league kid, however I won't leave you without anyone to fight," with that said, Ran snapped her fingers and the entire room blackened and turned to shadow. From the wall right of the tentei, a dark figure melted from the shadows on the wall. She had long hair as dark as night and cold grey and golden eyes. The pale woman was dressed in tight black, leather pants with tall black leather boots and a tight, black turtle neck.

"Hey who invited the whore," asked Yusuke.

"Kai!" Hiei spat vehemently.

"Hiei, how nice it is to see you again."

"this is Kai? You mean you got your butt kicked by a girl," said Kuwabara a little more than amused.

"I will kill you," Hiei said to Kuwabara.

"Oh my darling Hiei, I am afraid that you will have to put aside your other disputes for now, for I have brought you a gift," she raised her hand and the other shadows which covered the walls began to remove themselves from the background revealing themselves as the same serpent demons which attacked them at the carnival.

"Same old tricks! Well you obviously haven't heard that we creamed your last serpent army at the carnival with hardly any effort," said Kuwabara.

"Don't you mean I creamed them?" said Yusuke cynically to Kuwabara.

"Hey!!!"

"I don't care about your stupid demon army, you are the only one that I wish to kill. But, if killing you means destroying this army, then so be it," said Hiei.

"then you better get to slashing my little dragon," said Kai.

to be continued...

sorry for the cliff hanger, but I have to save some slicing and dicing for the next chapter don't I?

Well the next chapter is the end right!!! Hooray!!! It took a long time to get here, but here we are!!! Well I gotta go cause I'm late to buy something from eBay!!

Till the next time peoples!!!


	16. The Final Battle

Mega shout out goes to Insane Rurouni(s) and Ash the Wanderer. You guys ROCK!!!

This chappie is for you all!!!

Chapter 16: The Final Battle

The tentei stood their ground as the garish Kai summoned the serpent demons from the shadows on the wall. The evil beings slithered and hissed towards the boys and they could do naught but ready themselves for the brutal onslaught.

Suddenly a group of about ten serpent demons launched at Botan, "Oy!!! Botan look out!!!" yelled Yusuke. Botan who had been trailing behind the group looked up to see the blood thirsty demons, airborne, heading her way. Immediately, she ducked down- a reflex action- and covered her head with her hands. Just before the demons could make contact with her a flash of black and sparks rented though the air and interrupted their assault. After not feeling any pain or contact what so ever, she raised her violet, plum eyes upward where, low- and- behold, she saw Hiei standing above her with a blood soaked katana, surrounded by an assortment of demon parts.

She gasped in delight at her unexpected defender, "My Hero," she said dreamily while staring into his fiery crimson eyes, sparkles in her own.

Hiei sneered down at her, "Hn, baka onna, get your ass up and leave before you piss me off and I kill you myself," He said before flitting off to join the fight which had commenced after the attack on Botan.

"Ahg!!! You diminutive prick!!!" She said in disgust. Just then a demon's head flew in her direction and smashed on the wall behind her. She cringed at the sight and then scrambled to get out of the vicinity.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Hiei decapitated the demon he was currently at war with and deliberately sent the cephalous appendage flying in the ferry onna's direction. He saw her shudder and immediately scurry away from the temple. He smirked in devilish satisfaction, 'Finally, the baka onna has shut her trap,' he thought vindictively.

Another round of foolish serpent demons made their way over to attack the vertically challenged fire demon. He sheathed his sword at his side and positioned himself in a wide, straddling stance, preparing to attack. Without delay, when the demons were abreast of him, he unsheathed his sword in god like speed and with supernatural precision he delivered a swift and merciless death to each demon. From the average eye it would seem as though he never budged an inch, but, in actuality he had slaughtered nearly twenty serpent demons in a fraction of a second.

He looked over to Yusuke and noticed that the spirit detective was busy with a minor army of his own. His fists, which were surrounded by his reiki, were swinging forcefully through each demon that came before him. His emotions had fueled him to a point where one slam of his fist into a serpent would rip the poor demon in two. The carrot top was over to the far right of the temple dealing with, and having a harder time with, a significantly smaller amount of demons. His spirit sword slashed through each demon with vigor and heart. Each victory, though time consuming, brought him closer to the triumphant, manly, hero's end he so longed for.

And Kurama...

Kurama, who was dealing with his own demons, was having a harder time concentrating on his battle. It would be in no way obvious to the casual passer – by, but, to Hiei, it was all too apparent. With each slash of his rose whip, the red haired kitsune took down multiple serpent demons at a time. However, Hiei noticed that Kurama's mind lay elsewhere; he was not as engrossed in his battle as he would be under normal circumstances. No, Kurama's attention and senses were forever in tune with that white haired dragon summoning their doom. Hiei mentally shook his head. He knew that there was no way he would be able to destroy her. Even if Kurama didn't know it, Hiei could clearly see that the kitsune's heart belonged to that woman. It was foolish for a man to be so deeply embroiled in his emotions over a woman during battle. He glanced over to the white haired priestess and idly wondered what type of woman she could be to ensnare the heart of this once cold hearted kitsune.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

After some time each of the members of the tentei had finished their battles with the small serpent demon army. The group stood in front of Kai who was standing before Ran and Hitomi who were standing in front of Shihiko. Ran clapped her hands with a mocking smile smeared across her features. "Interesting, so ignoramuses can prevail after all." She said in a drawl tone.

"Who are you calling an ignore...whatever you just said. We're the ones who just kicked the putooty out of your demon army." Said Kuwabara.

Ran chuckled softly, although, it couldn't be said that there was anything akin to amusement in her tone, "Yes, Kuwabaka, you did do magnificently in the decimation of our serpent army, however, it is you who has failed to realize something...you haven't won, in fact you've lost, pathetically."

"What do you mean," Yusuke said malevolently.

"Take a look at these pillars surrounding us. Do you notice anything strange about them?"

The group looked around them, each pillar, was glowing brightly with unparallel power. All of the energy engulfing the pillars was a result of and on its way to Shihiko. The girl, who was beyond all consciousness of the physical realm, smoldered with the power seeping from the pillars.

"You fools have been so embroiled with the battle that you did not even realize that the ritual was almost complete. As soon as the white and golden dragons on the ceiling of the temple transfer their powers to Shihiko, Shin Ryuushi will be resurrected within her own being. You've lost this round as well as .... your world." She said, ending in a menacing tone.

"That's what you think, we'll just destroy the stinking ceiling before she lights the damn thing up." Said Yusuke.

"Hn, stupid detective, do you honestly believe that they are just going to allow us to destroy it?"

"Then what do you suggest we do three eyes, let them take over the world?!" said Yusuke.

Hiei smirked, "Hn,"

"Pardon my interruption, but the Jaganshi is correct." Everyone looked up to see the seductive Kai addressing them, "there is no way in either heaven or hell that I will allow you to succeed."

Hiei sneered at Kai vehemently and pointed his katana at her, "Are you ready to die," it wasn't a question. It was a foretelling, in Hiei's mind, of what was to become of her. He had dreamt of this moment ever since his humiliating defeat by her hands. He had an insatiable thirst for blood, HERS, and it was time to collect.

He crouched down low preparing to attack, and she smiled, baiting him in. "I'm ready, my little man," she said mockingly. Hiei's eyes thinned into slits of crimson fire. His ki flared dangerously around him hinting only a fraction of the power he held within. Kai, too, flared her ki; the blackish purple energy emanated around her like death, "all of you, attack me if you dare!"

Hiei launched towards her with godlike speed and before anyone, save Kai, could tell that he had moved, his sword came into direct contact with a black wing. "Don't tell me you forgot about my dragon armor Hiei,"

Hiei smirked devilishly, "Hn," he said as forced his katana harder into her flesh.

"It's no use nothing can- AHRG!!!" Kai screamed in pain as Hiei's katana ripped unceremoniously into her wing, severing the appendage in half. She fell to one knee as Hiei looked down at her in amusement.

"Hn, a word to the wise never take me lightly." He said mercilessly.

Without warning Kai grunted and released a wave of black energy from around her which slammed into Hiei throwing him the opposite wall, "a word to the wise, shut up!" she said.

Suddenly, a huge ball of blue energy crashed into her singeing her skin, "Rei gun!!!" Yusuke said while launching the spirit bullet. As the energy cleared, a blackened Kai emerged from the blast. Yusuke blew the lingering smoke off of his index finger while staring flippantly at her. "That was a little introduction to my Rei gun, you better get to know it," he said.

At Yusuke's facetious tone, the golden flecks in her eyes expanded and began to glow brighter, "Fools," she said in a dangerously low voice, all hints of the seductress vanishing away, "do you have any idea who you are dealing with...well, let me teach you naughty boys a lesson." Kai flexed her ki and focused it towards her left hand. Black flames began to coalesce in her hand, "Black Dragon Whip!!!" she said as the black flames in her hands formed into a long scaly whip.

Without warning, she slashed her whip towards Kurama and Kuwabara. Kuwabara screamed like a girl and tried to run as Kurama, almost immediately, reached into his hair and produced his trusty rose whip, lashing it in the air at the precise moment when Kai's whip came abreast of them. He parried her whip, lash after lash with hardly a labored breath. She smiled secretively at Kurama's ignorance at her abilities. But soon, he would find out...

:-:-:-:-:-:-

Hiei awakened on the other side of the temple and gauged the situation surrounding him, Kai was going at it with Kurama in a battle of the whips. Yusuke and Kuwabara were standing around like silent idiots as Kurama did all of the work, 'Hn, ningens, good for nothings,'

Suddenly, Hiei realized that Kai had not used her fury whips on Kurama yet, he wouldn't stand a chance against her if she used that attack combined with her speed. He had to warn him. Unfortunately, he heard those fatal words escape her mouth at that time.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

"FURY WHIPS!!!" Kai screamed. Just as Kurama's whip had made contact with Kai's, Hiei's scream of warning rented through the air, but it was too late. Kai's whip glowed in the same blackish purple aura that Kai did earlier and then split into multiple appendages with hooks at the tips of them. The serpent like whips circled around Kurama seething with the evil aura, and then attacked him ruthlessly. Each one slashing away at his tissue leaving gashes and puddles of blood in their wake.

Kurama screamed at the extreme pain of the whips entering his flesh, some had even gone right through him and back again, ripping chunks of flesh from his body. Kurama fell to his knees and looked towards the woman standing at the alter. He stared at her horror stricken face at the sight of him in pain before her. He stared into her blush and gold eyes, seeing what his heart could only hope for, misery at his pain and love for him.

Vaguely he heard and sensed Kuwabara and Yusuke running towards Kai ready to attack. He turned his eyes towards them just in time to see Kai deliver a huge black wave of energy towards them, cutting them off away from him and sending them flying into the walls of the temple. They lay there unconscious.

From behind him he sensed Hiei approaching, his fists slammed into her body with unfaltering power and precision. Unfortunately, he could not make a dent in the black dragon keeper. "You'll learn your place my pet," she said to him as she delivered a back fist strike to his face, twisting his neck and rendering him unconscious like the rest of his friends and teammates.

He looked up at Kai, who still held him captive with her hooked dragon whips. A cold smile slithered across her delicate features, her eyes turning into a burning gold, "and then there was one..." she said softly. She brought her right hand back into her side, preparing to deliver a knife hand strike to his heart. As soon as she began to thrust a piercing scream echoed through the air and a blinding light scalded Kai from behind. Her eyes rolled back into her head as the rancid scent of burnt flesh reached his nose.

:-:-:-:-:-:-

It all happened so suddenly, the culmination of the ceremony to awaken the power of Shin Ryuushi within her being, the torture of Kurama and his friends and the defeat of Kai. Somewhere in between the beginning and the end, she had lost her head...

The ritual was near completion. The white and golden dragons on the ceiling had been illuminated and all that remained was for her to consume the lost ryuuki and reiki of the humans that floated above all of Japan. That was all that she had to do, that was all that she had to do to rid herself of everything that pained her, everything that slowly destroyed her being throughout the many centuries she lived...that was all. But, that was impossible, that is, it was impossible when she looked up into his eyes. Those piercing green eyes with stains of gold within their depths, a reminder of the man who had evoked the pestering, lingering emotions that still remained within her.

She had been cut off from the physical world throughout the ritual and did not realize the intensity of the situation he had been subjected to. She hadn't counted on witnessing his pain, she hadn't counted on her own emotions bursting from the chasm which she had locked them in nearly a century ago...she hadn't counted on any of it. But it, all of it, was too much to bear.

So, foolishly, she did something which was so absurd and beyond all things imaginable after everything she had been through...she followed her emotions.

After consuming about one eighth of the reiki and ryuuki they had gathered, she ended the ritual. Ran, who had sensed this, turned a thunderstruck expression in her direction. The look on her face could only be summed up into one statement, 'what the HELL are you doing.' Tears shimmered in her eyes as she shook her head at Ran as if to say, 'I can't.'

She looked back at Kai who had just defeated Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"And then there was one," she said silently. Shihiko's eyes widened in horror at Kai's implication. She saw her retract her hands readying herself to kill Kurama. Just as she began to thrust, a heart wrenching scream emerged from her and her body reacted on its own. Without thinking, white flames had conjured in her right hand and had been launched in the general direction of Kai.

The black dragon keeper didn't even know what hit her as the attack burned the back of her body to a crisp. Suddenly, the whip which had held Kurama prisoner disappeared in a poof of black flames along with Kai.

Kurama looked up at her, stunned. He saw the tears steaming from her eyes down her pale, velvety cheeks and could not help but feel a deep adoration for her.

Shihiko turned around to look at Ran. Her very soul shrank when she took in the fiery red dragon keeper's steely gaze. Never had she beheld such a look of vehemence from anyone. Her eyes were completely molten gold and emitting a strange light. The demoness said nothing as she disappeared in burst of red flames.

Hitomi looked up at her 'daughter' and walked up the alter towards her. As she faced her, Shihiko glanced up at her and then removed her gaze shamefully. Hitomi placed a caressing hand on her cheek and brought her face back up to face her, "I told you...regardless of what path you choose, I will always love you my daughter," she said warmly. Her affectionate, brown eyes emanating a deep and profound love. Shihiko nodded and then brought her hand up to hold the one Hitomi held on her cheek. "Go to him," she said and then walked from the temple.

Shihiko turned to Kurama and walked towards him. She knelt down before him and looked at his wounds, avoiding his gaze. She didn't like the way his eyes made her feel. They stripped away her strength and made her feel...vulnerable.

"You are injured..." she said still avoiding his gaze. She placed her hand over one of the wounds on his torso and began to heal him. A warm golden aura glowed around her hands.

"I'm fine...now," he said weakly. He brushed his blood covered hand across her downy cheek and left stains of crimson on her. Somehow, the act...the blood on her gave him an uneasy, foreboding feeling.

Her eyes lifted up to his as a strange light, almost sorrowful developed within their depths, "But I won't be...my life is over" she said in a steely voice. Just then an army of spirit world ogres and other warriors led by Botan burst through the temple doors and surrounded them, "and soon, yours and your friends will be as well." A group of the guards suddenly surrounded her and held up charms and spell warders to repel her attacks. She removed her gaze from Kurama and stood up, "relax gentlemen, I surrender..." she said raising her hands in defeat.

Kurama gasped at what she said and tried to go after her as the guards began to take her away, alas the pain surging through his body forestalled him. Botan rushed to his side and urged him to lie back in her lap. The gesture did not go unnoticed by Shihiko. It was the last betrayal that she witnessed from the man who she just saved, the man who she unwillingly loved. She thought bitterly on this as the guards ushered her out of the temple. And an emotion she was all too familiar with entered into her soul...Pain...

:-:-:-:-:-:-

Ran walked into the grand throne room of the dragon realm. Her steps made not the slightest sound on the white marble floors of the great hall. Every few feet held buttresses of dragons in flight above her and dragons painted in gold, silver and pearl flew above her head on the ceiling.

She approached the end of the hall where there, in all of his greatness and power sat Kairen, the Lord of all dragons. His long gold plaited hair fell like a curtain of night down to the middle of his back. His striking gold eyes could pierce the soul of anyone who looked upon them. He was clad in all black (think of darcia) from the cape and gloves he wore to his tapered black boots. His golden eyes focused on Ran as she came abreast of him. He looked at her nonchalantly and then glanced beyond her, "Where is my love," he said, his voice was deep, dark and velvety.

Ran cringed at his words, 'his love indeed.' "Shihiko, is no longer one of us. She has betrayed us for the enemy and now suffers in their prison."

Kairen's eyes darkened ominously, "who turned her from me," he asked in a dangerously low voice.

"The one they call Yoko Kurama," she said.

"Yoko Kurama," he said contemplatively, "His name shall become the mark of his death..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-

To be continued...

:-:-:-:-:-

Tah dah!!! I'm finished with the first saga!!! So how did you like it? Sorry for the delay, I need to get straight A's this semester, which I now have, to get into medical school. But, I hated leaving you guys hanging so long and waiting for this last chapter, so, this one's for you guys. REVIEW!!!


	17. A Month in Waiting

Thank You for the reviews Insane Rurouni aka Katana (luv the name!) and Ash the Wanderer. But, I'm sorry that there wasn't that much action in the last chapter, it's kinda hard for me to write action scenes, but I'll try harder next time. Also, there is a very good reason, which I think you all will love, why I didn't let Hiei let out all of his rage out and kill Kai, but, he wouldn't have been able to beat her anyway, she was too powerful.

I tried to upload this two days ago, but the website was unavailable.

Anywayz, I don't want to give away too much of my story because it's just beginning, so without further ado, here's chapter 17, not quite the dark saga yet, but pretty damn close!

Chapter 17: A Month in Waiting

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Kurama's P.O.V.

She stood facing Enma Daiou before the podium; poised, beautiful and proud. She showed nothing of herself or of her emotions. Her long white hair, slightly disheveled from the rigorous oar ride to Reikai, fell down below her derriere, covering her shoulders like a shimmering waterfall.

I sensed Yusuke and Hiei on either side of me, gazing at the beautiful, powerful creature known as Shihiko about to hear her sentence. The same creature who had risked everything she had known and accomplished to save our lives. It wasn't right…

"…and so I sentence you to life and beyond in solitary confinement at the Reikai prison…" Enma Daiou had spoken and his gavel rang throughout the courthouse.

Even though she had heard her sentence and it had been sealed by Enma Daiou himself, she did not flinch or crack up. Her countenance remained as solid as stone and her emotions did not betray her.

As they led her away, she stopped before us and looked up at me. I stared into her eyes trying to figure out what she wanted, to see if there were any traces of emotion that lie within them. And I saw only one…regret…

-:-:-;-:-:-:-:-:-:- One month later -:-:-:-:-

October 21st

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Ah fall!!! What a wonderful time of year! The warm air, the gentle breeze-"

"The chronic heartbreaks," the sarcastic, yet drawling voice of Yusuke interjected upon Botan's reflection of her love affair with the autumn scenery. They had been walking on their way to Mieou High to meet Kurama for the briefing on a new case when Yusuke had spotted the red headed kitsune leaning with his back against the school wall, one leg hiked up and his hands driven in his pockets, looking quite depressed.

The two stopped a few meters away from him, "Don't tell me that he's still upset over that girl's sentence! It's already been a month!!!" said Botan.

"I don't know what the status of their relationship was, but, it's obvious that Kurama cares about her," said Yusuke.

Kurama spotted them and began walking towards them.

"It's like the situation with his mother again. I never thought that I'd see him so depressed again," said Botan.

Kurama came abreast of them and gave a pained smile, "you know, foxes have a very keen sense of hearing."

"Ahg!!" both Botan and Yusuke said, shocked that the kitsune had overheard their conversation.

Kurama chuckled softly, "There is no need to worry about me, it was her choice to turn herself in and I respect her wishes." He looked off to the side, his mind wandering back to the day of Shihiko's hearing…wandering back to the look in the depths of those blush and golden eyes…Regret…that's what they spoke to him.

"Kurama…are you okay?" Botan asked. The hint of worry in her voice brought Kurama back to reality. He turned to her and smiled gently to reassure her that he was alright.

"I'm fine Botan-chan, anyway, we should be going to spirit world now, Koenma is waiting for us."

Botan nodded, although she and Yusuke's suspicions about Kurama's depression were not put to rest.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Spirit World

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Kurama, Botan and Yusuke entered into the grand office of the little king of Hell, Koenma. Ever since Koenma had disclosed all of the secrets of Reikai's involvement with and heinous acts against the fall of all ryuu-kind, the relationship between the tentei and spirit world had not been the same. Before, the tentei knew that they were fighting on the side for good, but now, where they were and the force that they served was a grey area.

Everyone in the tentei was sore about something. Kurama was depressed over the loss of Shihiko. Even though he would deny it, Kurama believed that the incarceration of Shihiko was unjust for a number of reasons. Kuwabara, Yusuke and Botan were still upset about the fact that they were pawns in spirit world's plans, but, they had forgiven Koenma of his reluctance to reveal those secrets to them; and Hiei… well, Hiei didn't really care either way. He stayed with the tentei simply for the good brawls that accompanied the job title and to keep his relationships with Kurama, Yusuke and Yukina in tact; though he would never admit to the latter reason.

"So pacifier breath, why did you call us here?" asked Yusuke in a drawl tone.

Koenma sighed, both in annoyance and relief that Yusuke had taken up his usual verbal torture with him; for, it was a sign that all was well for the time being between the two. "Well Yusuke, forever the dimwit aren't you, anyone worth a dime of spirit awareness would have felt the increasing swell of Ryuuki that's been accumulating in Ningenkai after the battle with Lady Shihiko and Kai. The dragon world is appalled by the incarceration of lady Shihiko and it seems that they're pulling out all of the stops to get her out of Reikai prison." Koenma reached into the drawer in his desk and pulled out a remote controller. He aimed the controller towards the back of the room and a huge screen appeared. He pressed another button and images of international news appeared on the screen with a woman talking about a number of natural disasters flooding the world. "Have you all been watching the news lately? There are a number of 'natural' disasters occurring throughout Ningenkai at an unnatural pace. Giant tsunami's have been flooding and killing a great number of humans throughout the costal regions of the world, earthquakes are burying entire cities, and volcanoes have been erupting like clockwork causing huge forest fires to spread throughout states. All of these things are being caused by the dragon keepers. It is said that Shihiko has very close ties with the leader of the dragon race and that he's hell bent on getting her out of prison."

"What was the status of their relationship?" Kurama asked with more than a bit of curiosity.

"Who knows. All I know is that he's putting on the pressure for her release. To tell you the truth I don't think that we can hold out on their demands any longer. Unless you all can defeat them, we'll have no choice but to release Lady Shihiko."

"Are you crazy? After everything she put us through? You're just gonna let her go?!" said Yusuke in disbelief.

"You are missing the point Yusuke. Koenma is more worried about the vast number of human lives being taken on her behalf. If she is kept in bondage, then many more will be sacrificed." Said Kurama.

"Are you saying that because you're worried about the humans, are for some other reason?" said Hiei in the background.

"Are you implying that I would callously throw away human lives for just a quick romance?" Kurama said in a dangerously low voice.

"Hn. You are the one who said it, not me." Hiei said as he turned and slowly sauntered to his corner of the room.

"Truly Hiei, was that necessary?" asked Botan, "If Kuwabara were here, he would give you a much needed rib,"

"If Kuwabara were here, I would throw up in revulsion." He quipped from the background.

"I hear what you are saying, Kurama," said Yusuke, "I just don't like the fact that we're releasing one criminal who is a shit load more dangerous than these punks we're about to go against."

"We are not releasing her yet Yusuke. Giving her back to the emperor is the last resort. That is why we are sending you all to stop them."

"So where is this dragon hot spot?" asked Yusuke.

"Spirit World Intelligence has informed us that there is a vast accumulation of Ryuuki in Okinawa."

"Okinawa? Can you be a little bit more specific about where in Okinawa?" asked Botan.

"No, I'm afraid not," said Koenma.

"So, how much time do we have until we have to release your Royal Highness Princess Dragon keeper from the luxuries of Spirit World Prison?" asked Yusuke.

"We have about a week. After that, we will have no choice but to release her."

"This is not good, and with the absence of Kuwabara and his spirit awareness, we'll be searching for them for some time. Is there any other way in which we can pin point there location?"

Koenma looked a bit squeamish all of a sudden, "Well, there is one way…"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

They walked into the depths of the Reikai prison. The dank, chilly air smelled of mildew and other scents of bodily odor. It seemed an eternity had passed since anyone had entered this sanctum let alone cleaned it. The memories one would experience in a place such as this could only be ones of resentment pain and disgust; and to think that the once glorified white dragon keeper, Shihiko was kept here was beyond all things imaginable. The woman who had sacrificed her identity, her status and everything that she was to save their lives had suffered the most deplorable of sentences for committing a truly self less act on Reikai's behalf. The punishment was truly unwarranted and something would be done about it…something must be done about it.

-:-:-:-

Deep in the bowels of Reikai prison

-:-:-:-

She sat on the cold, stone floor of the prison with her legs folded, her eyes closed and her back to the entrance of the cell. To the unsuspecting person it would seem as though there was no door to the cell and that the prisoner would be free to enter and leave at his or her desire. However, to one who knew these prisons well, especially this level of the prison, which was meant for holding criminals of substantial power, it was obvious that a force field lay between the prisoner and the outside of the cell.

Kurama and Koenma approached the cell of the white dragon. She was dressed in the all white Reikai prisoner uniform with an ormigiru seal (that seal during the saga Genkai's ruse) plastered on the right side of her chest. Her white hair was pulled back from her face in a ponytail (like kikyo's from Inuyasha). She sat in a meditative style seemingly unaware of their presence.

Koenma shot a look towards Kurama, whose eyes had never left the immaculately fair creature before him. Seeing that he would no longer gain Kurama's attention Koenma turned and then left the two alone.

Kurama's mind had flashed back to the conversation held earlier, when they were still in the office.

-:-:-:-:- Flashback

"Well, there is one way…" Koenma had said a bit squeamishly.

"And what way might that be?" asked Kurama.

He sighed resignedly, "Shihiko…"

Kurama's eyebrows lowered ominously, "explain," he said, not liking where this conversation was going.

"It is possible that she could help to find the other dragon keepers. She may know something that we don't or she may be able to find out something that we may have overlooked,"

"Wait a sec, why in the seven levels of hell would she want to help us, we're the enemy, remember?" said Yusuke.

"True, she may be hesitant to help us, but I am betting that we may have a chance to drag the information out of her,"

"But how Koenma sir, Reikai intelligence has already tried to interrogate her; they've even tried to sweat (a.k.a. the infamous' truth serum') the information out of her but it didn't work." Said Botan.

"Yes, but that was Reikai Intelligence doing the interrogating, but, you are proposing to use Kurama as you trump card aren't you," said Hiei. Everyone turned to the back of the office where Hiei leaned against the back wall with his arms folded and his eyes closed. They were all shocked by what was just said. He opened his eyes and stared dead at Koenma, "You are going to use her emotions against her to make her spill her guts about the whereabouts of her fellow partners in crime."

There was a short silence that rose up among the group. All eyes flew to Koenma for an answer, he didn't disappoint, "…precisely Hiei; that was my plan. It is believed that since the girl saved your life at the temple of Shin Ryuushi, Kurama, then she must still have some lingering emotions for you."

"Hn, a brilliant strategy Jr. but, somehow I don't think that it will work against this girl. She lost her head to her emotions once, but she will not do it again."

"Well, Hiei, we don't have a choice. Interrogating Shihiko is our only option at the present moment. So how about it Kurama, will you talk to her?" asked Koenma.

Kurama closed his eyes and sighed softly. He did not delight in the idea of using their past romance as a tool of vulnerability. He did not relish having to go to her and ask for her assistance after the sacrifice she had just made on his part. However, what he did and did not like did not matter at the moment. Like Koenma said, he had no other option, he had to see her,"

-:-:-:-:-End Flashback

So there he was, standing before her cell, the only one in the vicinity for approximately one mile, it was truly a solitary confinement. She had not moved for the entire time that he had been standing there which was about ten minutes. Suddenly, he heard her inhale deeply, "smoldering roses and rain…that's what you smell like Yoko. I've been sitting here trying to figure out what your scent was in this new ningen form that you are trapped in,"

Kurama smiled softly, it was good to hear her voice again, "smoldering roses?" he asked a bit amused. He had to hear her logic behind this one.

In spite of all of her will, she released a tiny smile at his amused tone, "Yes…you must have been hanging around that fire demon again. What was his name?"

"Hiei,"

"Yes, Hiei…Why are you here Kurama, I doubt you've come because you missed me," she said in a drawl tone chuckling dryly.

Kurama frowned when she said that. A part of him had agreed to come to see her…because he had missed her. "You are correct in your assumption," he said not admitting to his feelings.

She fell silent. Even though she had expected that answer, she still was not prepared for the amount of pain it brought to hear it. However, she didn't let a hint of this pain show. She put up her trusty barrier between her expression and her emotions and got up on her knees and turned to face him, both of her hands braced her on the floor as she leaned a bit towards him; her long ponytail fell over her right shoulder and she gave him a look that she knew would send his mind spiraling to memories of the nights they spent together under the starlit Makai firmament. She raised her dainty right eyebrow suggestively, "So…why did you come then?"

She was correct in her assumption that her expression had inspired a long forgotten lust in Kurama. The Kitsune turned human wanted nothing more than to storm through the barrier between them and make love to her right then and there.

She gazed into his eyes and saw that tints of gold were beginning to emerge; a subtle hint that her Yoko was becoming aroused (don't worry, they're not going to do it in the cell…wouldn't that be kinky). Shihiko was confident, if nothing else, in her beauty. She had learned at a very early age that it was very hard, if not impossible, for men to resist her charms, whether she intended to seduce them or not. Her beauty was both a wondrous gift and a dreaded curse that she was all but reluctant to rid her self of. She had to admit that she was a bit on the vain side.

Kurama mentally and emotionally shook himself, 'I must not fall for her allure now,' he thought to himself as the burning flames of desire began to recede. "I trust that you already know of the natural disasters that have plagued the world recently by the dragons who are petitioning for your release."

Shihiko's mood suddenly plummeted. She rolled her eyes in disgust, "the toddler prince…" she murmured to herself in an exasperated tone as she stood up.

"He is offering you something for your cooperation in telling us the location of the dragon keepers in Okinawa,"

"Something hmmm? And what would that something be Yoko?" She said as she walked towards the force field and Kurama, stopping only a hairs breath away from becoming fried by the barrier. She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms defiantly as he too walked towards the barrier.

Stopping at the same margin of space away from the barrier that she had, he looked down into her bright blush and golden eyes and said, "Freedom,"

-:-:-:-:-

To be continued

-:-:-:-:-:-

Okies dokies, I know that was a bit Silence of the Lambish, but, like I said before, I love that series.

Anyways, read and review, sorry about the cliff hanger, but, if I would've gone on, it would've been significantly longer and I have two research papers to write before thanksgiving.

B.T.W. happy early thanksgiving all!!! Hope you enjoyed the chappie and I will update soon.

Next chapter: don't have a title yet but will most likely conclude this intermission between sagas, if not, there will be one more chapter.

Tchao!


	18. The Choice is Yours…

Review Responses: well I'm creating this section because I've noticed that a lot of fic writers have them and I need to clear up some misconceptions caused by the way that I write so without no further ado, here are my responses.

To Hieifan666: Thank you so much for first of all reading my fic, secondly for enjoying it and thirdly for reviewing. Just to let you know, I am also a die hard Hiei fan, he's my favorite character of YuYu Hakusho and I love him because he is so complicated. As for what I said in the first chapter about there being a romance between Hiei and another character, it still applies. However, it's going to take time, Hiei is not one to fall in love quickly, and the manner in which he will get entrapped into the romance may not be liked or expected by some people, but, I feel that it will be the only way he will find love. Anyways, this story will be WELL OVER fifty chapters and I already have a sequel planned out so I don't want to give too much info away, or reveal too much in these early chapters. I just wanted to let you know that I will definitely have a Hiei x oc romance.

Secondly, the thing about Shihiko being kind of Mary Sue, it is my fault that I wrote that passage like that, it wasn't very clear. What I really meant that passage to be is a sign of weakness and imperfection on her part to belie the beauty that she has on the outside. Think of her as an opposite of Mukuro, Mukuro did something about her beauty when she was being sexually and physically abused, that took strength for her to pour acid all over her body, but, Shihiko lacks that strength and determination. She has a lot to learn for someone who has been through so much. So basically that passage was meant to show weakness on her part, but, after reading it over, I see that it was very unclear and I apologize.

P.S. I am not trying to flame, far from it; I admire you for saying what you did. I just want to clear up some things that were imprecise. I needed a true critique and I hope you continue to critique me. Thanks!

Katana: Thank you for reviewing yet again, my ever faithful fan!!! Sorry about the cliffie, but everything will be resolved in this chapter, no cliffies this time. Personally, I like the piss up a flagpole response versus just saying no; and I think that Shihiko was thinking that exact thing after the Kurama Botan thing in chapter 16.

Kate Sefcik: Thank you for reading and thank you for reviewing, I am happy that so many new people are actually reading this fic. I was becoming depressed thinking that no one else was reading it except Katana and Ash the Wanderer. So thank you so much for reviewing and I hope you like this chapter!

Also, I just wanted to apologize to everyone about the tardiness of this chapter. It was written on pen and paper about around Christmas, but my computer broke, literally, and we did not have internet access any longer. So here is chapter 18, better late than never ne?

-:-:-:-:-

Chapter 18: The Choice is Yours…

-:-:-:-:-

His words rang through the prison cell, further emphasizing the shock of the offer. There was no way she could have predicted that the toddler would give her her freedom because of a few low class dragon keepers causing some trouble. Indeed, she knew the two warriors who were ravaging Ningenkai, and they were no more powerful than any one of the tentei. So then why was he giving her this offer?

"My freedom," she said, not hinting at the ambiguity of the prince's offer, "Well, Kairen must be pulling out all of the stops for my release if it drove the little prince to present such a gift to the likes of me. HE must miss me." She said suggestively looking Kurama dead in the eyes. The golden stained emerald orbs spoke volumes of jealousy and curiosity although no shade of emotion passed across his features.

"Yes, your lover must have great need of your services for him to go through such a dramatic show of power and malice." He said icily.

Shihiko's eyebrows rose slightly, evoking an innocent expression, "My Yoko, doth my ear deceive me? Is there a hint of jealousy that I hear in your tone?" she mocked mercilessly.

Kurama merely stared at her. He had no idea that she could be so vindictive. Her words sliced through him like a hot dagger. He was jealous, he had to admit it. The thought of another man touching and tasting her made his blood boil.

"The offer has been presented before you, do you accept or yield," he said, ignoring her mockery. He had no time to ponder the vagaries of her relationship with the dragon lord. He stared at her for a while and it seemed an eternity passed between them. Her flawless features never hinting or betraying the thoughts that lie beneath the surface; she was a true master at the art of stoicism.

"My my, Yoko, aren't we in a rush to retreat," she said silently. She looked down at her hands which were now toying with the bottom strands of her ponytail, "I assume that there is another part to this proposal. As you once said, so memorably, long ago, usually, in order for something to be a proposition, one must offer something to the other in return for their services. So, what is it exactly that I have to offer up to the lord of the babes?"

"He needs your assistance to find the dragon keepers causing the natural disasters. We know that they are located in Okinawa, but we do not know where exactly in Okinawa they are located. If you give us your assistance then you will gain your freedom, however, if you decline then you will remain in this prison for all of eternity."

"Well, that is one hell of an ultimatum; my freedom in exchange for my committing treason…" she chuckled softly, "again; or an eternity in this hell hole." She said in a calculated manner. She folded her arms and walked away from the invisible field as if deliberating her dilemma. She stood facing the wall, not saying a word. In truth, she did not want to remain in prison; who would want to stay in solitary confinement for all of eternity. However, the deal sounded too good to be true. There was no way that the toddler could undo her sentence without the permission of his daddy. And there was no way that daddy dearest would let his precious dragon keeper free for some miniscule information. 'There must be something else going on,' she thought, 'some plan to offer me my freedom, but then not truly deliver it. Those sneaky bastards.' She discretely stole a glance over at Kurama. 'They really must think that I am stupid enough to fall for their weak plan; and they must have sent HIM here to soften and cloud my judgment. They must have guessed that I had no true loyalties to the dragon race, what with my past discrepancies with the race. After all it was they who ruined my life and destroyed everything I had ever loved, why should I remain loyal to such a damnable race? I owed them nothing!'

But then again, she did not want to help Reikai or Kurama and get cheated out of her freedom.

His voice interrupted her thoughts, "What is your choice Shihiko? This offer will not last forever." His patience was at an end.

She stared at him; she felt a slight twinge of hurt that he would conspire against her to keep her in prison after everything that she did for him, "My freedom…go back to your master, and tell him that I will not fall for his trickery. Tell him to offer me a true contract and then I will talk."

Kurama seemed shocked by her words. He had no idea what she was speaking of. She turned her back to him once again and sat in her meditative position. Judging by her mannerism, he assumed that their conversation was over. He turned and walked away from her cell. He walked for about fifteen minutes until he found the Reikai prince leaning against the wall waiting for him. Koenma walked towards Kurama, with anticipation shining in his eye. "So, what did she tell you?" asked Koenma. He was sporting his handsome teenage form.

Kurama gave vent to a sigh, "She told me nothing of the attacks."

"You're kidding me; how in the hell could she turn down her freedom?!"

His gaze sharpened upon Koenma's visage, "But, you were not truly offering her her freedom were you Koenma." It wasn't a question; he knew that Koenma was up to something. It was evident in the fact that he would just offer her her freedom, the very thing he was fighting so hard to withhold, in exchange for information which could obtained through other means. Why he hadn't realized his plot earlier was beyond him, but now that he knew what Koenma was planning, he could not go along with it.

Koenma was taken aback by Kurama's words, "How dare you question the validity of my motives? Are you implying that I intended to leave her in prison?"

"I don't know, why don't you tell me," said Kurama. His features were devoid of all expression. His poker face was famous and would not betray any of the thoughts and emotions which swam beneath the surface of his visage. However, Koenma had no such ability. He looked spooked and amazed that Kurama had seen through his plot. All of his thoughts and feelings could be read, as plain as day, across his features.

He had been caught, he had no choice now except to truly bargain with her. He needed information on these dragons before the casualties became too great and she was the only one who could help them. He had no choice now… "I'll go to see her…alone. Go back to the others and wait for news from me,"

Kurama was puzzled, but, he obeyed. Koenma turned to walk towards the white dragon keeper's cell. When he arrived there, the girl was seated in the same manner and direction that she was in when he first saw her.

"Lady Shihiko," he said quietly. He watched her slowly turn her head, the tiniest centimeter to the side, barely acknowledging him. The light of the cell reflected dully off of the three earrings in her elfin ears.

"The toddler prince; what can I do for you?" she said silently, almost sadly, as if she were expecting someone else.

'Perhaps she still does love Kurama,' Koenma thought. Slowly, he waved his right hand in front of the force field and dissolved it. She looked perplexed by his actions, "I have a proposition for you…"

45 minutes later, Koenma's office

The tentei sat in the Reikai prince's office for what seemed like an eternity. Yusuke had staked his claim on Koenma's grand office chair and was now lounging in it, his hands cradling his head and his feet were thrown on top of Koenma's gold and mahogany desk, conquering the piece of furniture with an air of satisfaction. "Aahhh! A guy can get used to this kind of treatment. Hell, I should be prince of Reikai. I bet I can do a hell of a better job than old pacifier breath." Said Yusuke, smirking with his eyes closed.

"Hn, the day you become prince of anything is the day the seven hells freeze over," retorted Hiei who was standing near the prince's desk next to Botan.

Yusuke opened one eye to stare at Hiei, "Don't hate on me short stack; and, let me guess, I suppose you see yourself running things ne?" he drawled.

"Hn,"

"Now now boys, behave," said Botan in a teasing tone, "we all know that neither of you are comparable to the almighty Koenma, and therefore neither of you would be competent enough to rule anything!" she tried to stifle a giggle but was unsuccessful, thus garnering potent glares from both Hiei and Yusuke. The fact that she would even compare them to Koenma was insulting enough.

"Hey Botan, I think you've gone coo coo. That blue hair dye you use must've killed off too many of your brain cells. It's making you sound stupid. You should see someone about that," mocked Yusuke mercilessly.

Botan bared her teeth and growled menacingly at Yusuke. She grabbed him viciously by the scruff of his shirt and yanked him out of the chair and over the desk, knocking off many of the papers that were scattered on it. "BIG LIAR!!! You have something to say to me?!!!" she said, a huge stress vain pumped relentlessly in the side of her head and her eyes set on Yusuke in a murderous glare. The young spirit detective began to sweat profusely and truly began to fear for his life.

Hiei's eyes widened to saucers as he witnessed Botan's transformation. He could have sworn that he saw flames blazing in her eyes, 'Hn, and they call me demon,' he thought to himself.

In the midst all of the commotion in the office, Hiei turned his gaze to the other soul within the room. Kurama stood off to the side, seemingly in deep thought with a decidedly depressed expression on his face. He knew for a fact that the kitsune's mind was on that white dragon onna, Shihiko. He honestly couldn't blame Kurama for his feelings. The life of the woman he cared for was at stake and dependent upon this meeting. Hiei truly pitied the fox.

Suddenly, Koenma's monitor blared on and his face appeared. He was still in the prison of Reikai judging by his surroundings. However, there was no sign of Shihiko in the background. "Listen Yusuke, I just received some pertinent information about the dragons attacking ningenkai. The demons are located in the northern area of Okinawa. Our source tells us that there are two demons that are causing this ruckus."

"Only two?!" asked Yusuke in disbelief.

"That's right, they are lovers, the dragon keeper of the red dragon, Kirra, and the dragon keeper of the brown dragon, Gedon. Lady Shihiko has reason to believe that Kirra and Gedon would be located near the jungle and mountainous area of Okinawa near Yonaha-Dake. Since the red dragon keeper's main powers deal with flames she will be the one who will reside near the Yonaha, whereas Gedon will reside in the jungle area. We have procured a portal for you to get you to the area quickly. From there, the two dragons will most likely find you. Good luck and don't die." Koenma was about to sign off when Kurama stepped up.

"Koenma, if I may inquire what has become of the status of lady Shihiko's sentence?" He asked, carefully concealing any emotion that may seep from his voice.

"Oh brother; Kurama you don't have time for that. I will debrief you of everything when you return. But now, you have more pressing matters to attend to. Godspeed." With that said Koenma's face faded from the screen and it went black.

Botan came abreast of Kurama and placed a hand on his shoulder. She looked consolingly into his eyes, "come on, let's go fry those buggers," Kurama, smiled gently down at her and with that the tentei left.

Okinawa, the jungles of Yonaha, 10 miles from Yonaha-Dake

"ARRGHH!!!! SHIT!!! I HATE NATURE!!!" Yusuke shouted, scaring a multitude of birds out of their slumber and sending them flying into the night from fright, after having stepped in the hot and gooey droppings of some errant creature. "I swear, one step, JUST ONE STEP in the freaking jungle, and I'm already swimming in dung," he said as he vigorously wiped the bottom of his shoes off in the grass.

Hiei turned his head to the side trying to hide his obvious amusement over the situation. "Eeeww," Botan crept away from Yusuke, trying to avoid the terrible smell coming from the bottom of his shoe.

Kurama covered his mouth with his right hand trying to conceal his smile, "I DID try to warn you," he said, the amusement coloring his tone.

"Hey fox boy, you want a fistful of crap down your throat?!!!" Said Yusuke as he glared menacingly at the kitsune. Kurama frowned, raising up both of his hands and waving them side to side as if to say 'no thank you.'

After Yusuke rid his sneakers of nature's special calling card, the tentei began walking North ward. They had stretched their senses out and faintly sensed ryuuki in that direction. "Is it me, or does it seem as though this is gonna take forever?" Said Yusuke. They had been walking for about an hour now and they had not seen any signs of ryuukind anywhere. "I'm starting to wonder if that broad gave us the right location."

"Patience is a virtue Yusuke," said Botan cheerily as she floated next to him on her oar, attempting to save her shoes from anything brown and gooey.

"It's not when the world is gonna end in like a week!"

"Can you two shut up, I would like it if we had the upper hand over our enemies and not alert them to our whereabouts," said Hiei, a bit irked.

They continued to walk in the same direction until they came upon a huge wall of rock erected before them. "Interesting," said Kurama with some worry. There didn't seem to be any way around it, which meant that they could only go up.

"So how are we supposed to-," Botan's words were cut off as Kurama raised his hand in front of her face. She looked towards him with a questioning look on his face, but he was not even looking in her direction. His eyes were focused akimbo, looking dead into the greenery of the jungle.

"We are not alone," he said quietly. His, Hiei's and Yusuke's eyes were already searching the terrain for anything out of place. It was strange; there was nothing around them that would cause for any alarm. But, there was something within their presence. It was as if the earth was alive and hostile.

Botan relaxed slightly after five, uneventful minutes passed by, "Really now, I don't think we have anything to worry about, there isn't anything here."

"No, something is definitely approaching," said Hiei. He drew his katana as his jagan began to glow violet beneath his bandana.

"Well, I don't see anyth-," she was cut off by the sound of all of the birds and wildlife in the jungle being riled up. She looked up in the sky and saw hundreds of birds taking off into flight at once and she was spooked. Indeed, something was coming, and that something was undoubtedly frightening to scare all of the woodland creatures out of their habitats.

The earth beneath them began to rumble violently and a strange whistling/ buzzing sound began to grow louder and louder, as if it were approaching them. "What is that?" Yusuke asked while trying to figure out what it was, exactly, that was approaching them. He didn't have to wait long. The distinct buzzing noise was the sound coming from a huge boomerang (like Sango's) flying towards them at an astronomical speed, taking down numerous trees and other flora and fauna that came in its path of destruction. As the boomerang came abreast of them, Hiei and Yusuke jumped out of the deadly weapon's reach as Kurama scooped Botan up into his arms and evaded the lethal blow that was sure to follow if either of them were hit by that monstrosity of a weapon.

The three warriors and Botan landed some distance away from the weapon. However, just as they thought that the danger had passed, the boomerang swung back around to them. As the weapon picked up speed, a strange woman, engulfed in red flames appeared behind it. In a split second, she positioned her hands in the shape of an 'X' and then swiped them downward and behind her, causing a huge red flame in the shape of an X to fly and crash into the boomerang. The weapon, which began feeding off of the flames, turned a glowing red, like a hot poker, and gained momentum as well. With little time to escape, Yusuke jumped in front of the rest of the tentei and flexed his energy into a barrier to shield them. The fire engulfed boomerang crashed into Yusuke's energy shield and the combined energies of the two forces clashed violently causing a huge explosion. Fire and dirt flew everywhere causing a massive cloud of debris to cover the area.

As the debris began to clear, a low, deep chuckle slowly rose over the echo of the explosion. The tentei were all sprawled across the terrain. Yusuke lifted himself up shaking his head slightly as if trying to dispel the memory of the sight and sound of the explosion. Hiei and Kurama followed suit, each pulling themselves up from the ground to see who it was who attacked them. Kurama looked to the right of him and saw an unconscious Botan lying on the ground. "Botan," Kurama called out as he tried to rouse her. She was injured, but not badly, only having received a few bumps and bruises. At the sound of the cynical male chuckle that sounded, Kurama and the other tentei turned to face their attackers.

The two dragon keepers, Gedon and Kirra, stood facing the prostrated tentei. Gedon, a mountain of a man, stood at six foot four, his skin color was a dark bronze, he had long hair, which hung to his lower back, the color of chocolate and his eyes held the striking, contrasting color of Gold. His body was pure muscle and solid as a rock. He wore only black ninja pants which were tapered at his calves and tied with black cloth (like Hiei's). To the right of him stood a woman, obviously Kirra, with golden tanned skin and copper red hair styled in a wild bob. Her eyes were a piercing crimson with golden flecks running through them. She was incredibly beautiful, and incredibly short, looking no older than fifteen years old, while her better half looked to be in his thirties. They were truly and odd couple, resembling a parent child relationship, rather than a lover x lover relationship. She wore an all red ninja ensemble with pants similar to those of her lover's and a midriff halter top.

Yusuke and Hiei got up, while Kurama picked Botan up and moved her to a more secure area. Yusuke chuckled slightly while wiping a trickle of blood off of his mouth, "So, you're the bastards causing all of trouble," Kirra's eyes narrowed at Yusuke's use of bad language, "well, it's about time you all showed up, I was getting bored."

"Don't worry, you will not be bored for long, Yusuke Urameshi," Kirra all but hissed at him, her crimson eyes glinting menacingly at him. Just then Kurama returned from securing Botan. Both Kirra's and Gedon's eyes focused sharply on him. "So, you must be Kurama," she said, looking him up and down appreciatively, "I can see why she fancies you. And to think that this is just a mere shadow of the man you used to be. How sad…" she cupped both of her hands together at her waist and concentrated her ki into that area. Suddenly, a burst of red flames accumulated in them, "…that I must destroy you now," with that said she flung herself towards the tentei without hesitation, the blazing fireball smoldering in her hands.

Kurama and Yusuke quickly jumped out of the way while Hiei stood his ground. When Kirra was about a meter away from him, he flared is ki into his left hand and a burst of scorching hot crimson flames crackled to life in his capable hands. Hell, he was tired of running; it was time to greet fire with fire.

With an unforeseen force on both of their parts, both Kirra and Hiei smashed their power against each other. The resulting consequences of this act caused a blinding light to ensue from the accumulating tension between the two struggling flames. Neither of the two fighters was giving up this private war; and thus the power they poured out into their attacks merely increased.

Yusuke and Kurama, sensing what was going to be the end result of this little spat, backed away slightly. They knew that the accumulated power being thrown out there would end up being explosive. Gedon, who had taken refuge atop a boulder, simply watched his lover with interest and appreciation present in his golden eyes.

"Hn, you do realize that if we keep this up, we'll both wind up dead," Hiei said, not faltering a bit in his power flow.

"Then…I suggest that you surrender and accept defeat. There is no way you can win against a red dragon, my friend," Kirra said, enjoying this struggle, and further enjoying the promising look of his defeat corpse lying in a pool of his own blood.

Suddenly, Kirra found it more difficult to handle her own as Hiei's power flow had definitely increased, "I think not, here's a better idea though; why don't I just kill you?" Hiei grunted as he upped the ante on his flames. The result was quite satisfying as an unprepared Kirra was blown back and scorched by Hiei's force. The woman/ girl let out and anguished scream as the flames engulfed her, "Hn, dragon or no, you all should have learned by now that I don't take to threats or over-confident bastards kindly,"

"Hmph," Gedon, the dragon who had kept silent this who time finally spoke up. Hiei and the other tentei looked towards the dark skinned man, "and you, Hiei, should realize by now that your little fire tricks don not work against dragons that breath and harness flames," he pointed towards the singed girl sprawled in the dirt. The tentei looked towards her.

Without pause, she lifted her sooty face up from the ground with an alarming grin on her face. Hiei growled, "Dammit," he cursed softly.

The girl giggled as she picked herself up off the ground and dusted clothes off, "Geez, you would think that you would have learned something from your little rendez vous with Kai, but, I guess you tried desperately to dispel that unpleasant memory from your mind. Do not get, how do you humans say, twisted? I am no where near as strong as Kai was, but, I am strong enough to take a couple of jokers like you all out." Her gaze flitted to Hiei, "However, the only joker that I am interested in… is you Hiei," she held up her hands and positioned them into the sign of a delta (or a triangle), placing her view of Hiei in the center of the opening, "You will pay, for getting my outfit dirty."

With that said her hands began to glow brightly, "AAAAHHHH-TAHHH!!!" she screamed as the light engulfed everyone and everything within the vicinity. After the echo of her screams dissipated, the blinding light began to dim.

"Ah, damn it," Yusuke cursed. This was the third time today someone decided to blind him; and frankly, he was getting tired of it. He heard Kurama gasp slightly behind him. He looked up at where Kirra and Hiei were only to find that the two had disappeared. "What the hell, she can do magic tricks too?"

"This is no time for jokes Yusuke," Kurama reprimanded; worry over his missing friend sounded evidently in his voice. This was not good; their team had been divided and robbed of their fastest and most cut throat member. They would truly pay for his absence.

A dark fit of laughter sounded from behind the duo. They turned to find the not-so-silent-anymore Gedon glaring sinisterly at the two tentei left, "well, it's about fucking time she left. I can never truly cut loose when she's around," Gedon said in a heavily Bronx-like accented voice that was the total opposite of the voice he presented them with earlier. He stood up on the boulder and stretched out his shoulders, rolling the two huge muscles back, relieving them of tension. He cocked his head from side to side, "but, now that the ole ball n chain's been cut loose, we can really have some fun!"

He jumped down from the boulder and crashed into the ground making the earth tremble, as if in fear, beneath him. He stood tall, overshadowing both Kurama and Yusuke by a good foot and more and beckoned to them with his left hand, a cocky smile spread across his features, "so, which one of you kids wants ta go first?"

To be continued…

Sorry, but I have to end it there, this chapter is like ten pages already and I still have a lot more to type. In fact, my computer is still on the fritz. I am at Xavier University typing this. That's right, I'm still at school even though my classes let out at 2:00, but I had to get this chapter (or part of it) out to you guys because its been written since before Christmas.

But, I will get the second part of this chapter out to you all before Mardi Gras, b/c I think that I will be too smashed to type during that time. Sooooo, chapter 19: Alliance will be coming your way soon!

Tchao!


	19. Alliance

Chapter 19: Alliance

The sounds of death rented through the air. The scent of earth, blood and decay suffocated the area in a noxious blanket. Darkness, death and earth, those were the only things that surrounded her when she awoke. Botan sat up from the moist, black earth; remnants of debris still clinging to her blue hair. She wiped the remaining sleep from her plum hued eyes and looked around her. "Where the hell am I?" she asked out loud. Nothing was familiar and nothing in her memory could give her a valid excuse as to why she was here. The only thing that she could remember was a boomerang engulfed in red flames coming towards her, and then darkness.

She got up a little shakily. She knew that Yusuke and the others would be somewhere near. She had to find them. Weakly, she pushed through the vine covered jungle, trying to find anything that was familiar. It didn't take her long; the sounds of battle cried through the air as she entered into a familiar setting; her previous whereabouts before her date with the fiery boomerang from hell. There, in the middle of the clearing were Kurama and Yusuke dooking it out with a huge mountain of a man, who she could only assume was Gedon. She looked around the area to take sight of a certain fire demon, but she could not find him, 'that's strange,' she thought. Suddenly a voice boomed through the air, "BOTAN! GET DOWN!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- about ten minutes earlier-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The huge man leapt from off of the boulder and crashed into the ground. He stood tall, towering over both Yusuke and Kurama and rolled his giant shoulders back, relieving them of tension, "So," he said in the midst of his massage, "which one of you kids wants ta go first?"

Kurama inched a little closer to Yusuke, "It will be prudent if we take him together; we don't know exactly how powerful he is yet and since he is a master of earth, he practically has us surrounded. Be on guard at all times."

"Well yeah Kurama, this isn't exactly recess," Yusuke said. He walked slowly towards Gedon, "Evening, Mr. Dragon, the name's Yusuke and the red head over there is Kurama; though I'm sure you've already heard of us."

"Yeah, so,"

"Well, I always thought that it's a nice thing to tell a dead man walking his executioners' name before he's six feet under; know what I'm saying?"

Gedon chuckled slightly, "Hmph, in that case, the name's Gedon, but I'm sure that you's all already knew that didn't ya?"

Yusuke nodded his head a fraction and then looked into Gedon's golden orbs, "Well, now that that's settled," without warning Yusuke launched himself towards Gedon, "I'd like to introduce you to my fist!" Yusuke slammed his fist into Gedon's solar plexus. The move did not have the desired affect he thought it would; instead of crushing the dragon keeper's abdomen as planned, Yusuke, instead, had his fist crushed by his own attack. He jumped back immediately cradling his now swollen hand, "Dammit!" he cursed softly.

"Geez, I guess that you all weren't informed by your superiors that dragons of the Earth and metallic dragons have the hardest scales in all four worlds. Nothing can crack through them. And with that little bit of knowledge, I can assume that your hand must sting like hell,"

Kurama, who had been analyzing the situation reached into his hair and pulled out a seed. He transferred his energy into the seed and sprouted his trusty rose whip. Swiftly, he sprinted towards Gedon, who had caught sight of him while he materialized his rose whip, and raised his weapon to attack. Suddenly, Gedon threw back his hand and formed a fist. A golden aura surrounded his body. Just as Kurama came abreast of him, he slammed his fist down towards him, intending to crush the kitsune's skull; however, he was met with nothing but air. Kurama had disappeared just before Gedon's fist made contact.

In a move quicker than lightening, Kurama lashed his rose whip from behind Gedon towards the dragon of the earth's neck. Without pause, he yanked downward on the whip, immobilizing the massive warrior.

"Yusuke! Now!" Kurama called out, giving his comrade his cue to unleash a barrage of attacks on their foe. In a flash, Yusuke leapt up from his defeated position on the ground and lunged towards Gedon; his fists glowing in anticipation and with repressed reiki.

"Alright asshole! It's time for round two!" Without delay, Yusuke jumped onto the restrained Gedon's chest, which caused the dragon keeper to topple down to the earth. While on top of the subdued Gedon, Yusuke smashed his fists continually into his solar plexus causing no small amount of blood to gush from his mouth. The area of Gedon's torso that Yusuke had been tirelessly beating was becoming bruised and bloody, making the surface softer for Yusuke's fists to pummel.

With his punching fest running to a close, Yusuke pulled his right fist back into his waist and began building up his reiki, "it's time we finished this," he said as the helpless Gedon watched the blinding blue light form around Yusuke's fist. In a matter of moments the said fist descended downward to Gedon's already mutilated torso, "SHOT GUN!" Yusuke yelled as his empowered fist crashed into the bloody surface which was once Gedon's beautifully sculpted abdomen.

The energy of the shotgun coursed through Gedon's chest and upper body causing even more mutilation than Yusuke's previous attack.

When Yusuke's energy dissipated, he jumped away from Gedon's defeated corpse. He was joined, shortly, by Kurama. The kitsune had un-grown his rose whip back into its original form, the rose, and held it casually in his right hand. Kurama stopped his pursuit towards Yusuke and twirled the rose leisurely between his fingers, "You know Yusuke, you could have made your point by simply shooting him in the mouth with your spirit gun. I had no idea that you could be so brutal," he said mischievously.

Yusuke snickered light heartedly, "yeah yeah, brutal my ass, that jerk off had it coming," Yusuke's eyes rose in thought, then, a devilish smile crept across his features, "no pun intended,"

Kurama merely shook his head at his friend's antics he couldn't help the tiniest of smirks to sprout out from that comment, "Only you, Yusuke, would think of such innuendo at a time like this." Kurama looked down at the young spirit detective's hands and noticed the poor shape they were in. They were swollen and bloody and definitely needed some type of medical attention.

As if noticing his friend's unspoken concern, Yusuke lifted his broken fists towards the kitsune, "Yo, Kurama, can you do something about this?"

"Gladly," he said as he proceeded in the healing process. It took less than thirty seconds for Yusuke's battered fists to be fully restored to their original healthy selves.

Upon the completion of the healing process, Yusuke tested his hands by opening and closing his fists until he was content with the results, "well, aren't you just a freakin' hospital on legs." He balled up his fists in anticipation, "Now that that's done, let's go find shorty and kick some more dragon ass!"

The two were about to walk off when, all of a sudden the ground beneath them began to tremble, "Well that's not a happy sound," said Yusuke. They began to look around the area, trying to figure out the source of the quaking.

They didn't have to wait long.

In a blast of rock and rubble, the earth beneath them blew up into the air causing the duo to be blasted upward, about twenty feet in the air, "What the HELL was that!" Yusuke yelled over the loud rumbling that filled the air.

The two landed on the ground unscathed, but, surprised at the vision that lay before them. It was Gedon, well in a manner of speaking, it was he. It was more like the earth had taken on the silhouette of his body. He had truly become one with the earth.

The clay formation of their opponent began to walk slowly towards them. With each step taken by the earthen warrior, his body's semblance to dirt and rubble began to fade and take on the appearance of actual skin.

Once his body had taken its original form he ceased his pursuit and stood about three meters away from Yusuke and Kurama. "Nice attack kid, but you need to do a lot more to even scratch me," Gedon said.

"But how?" Kurama asked, "You were defeated,"

Gedon chuckled sinisterly, "I'm one with the earth, red. It replenishes and heals me when I am hurt. So you see, when Urameshi over there pounded me into the dirt he was only helping me out; putting me back into my element so that it could heal me, ya dig?"

"It can't be," Kurama said silently.

"What the hell are you two talking about? Why the hell isn't he dead Kurama!" yelled Yusuke impatiently.

Kurama stole a glance towards Yusuke before returning his gaze back to Gedon, "The earth Yusuke; it heals him, as long as he is in contact with the earth we cannot defeat him. He is truly impervious."

"WHAT!"

"That's right kid, in order to destroy me, you have to destroy the whole fuckin' planet, because as long as there's a earth, I'm freakin invincible." Gedon flexed the muscles in his chest and his arms and came down into a wide straddling stance, "RRRAAARGH! SHOWER OF DESTRUCTION!" Gedon roared as his entire body began emanating and pouring out vast amounts of golden ryuuki. The sheer force of his energy blew both Yusuke and Kurama back about two feet.

"Damn, what's he doing," Yusuke said to himself.

The earth began trembling violently as huge chunks of rock and boulders began to separate themselves from the earth and gather around Gedon's body. The aura of ryuuki he was emitting began to condense into a smaller space at the base of his torso. "GO!" As if the boulders and rock could understand the command that was sounded, the rubble surrounding the dragon suddenly reshaped into extremely sharp shards very capable of impaling Kurama and Yusuke. Without warning the rock daggers charged viciously at the two tentei.

With incalculable speed the two began to dodge the first wave of attack. Kurama narrowly dodged one shard just as another swerved and came around to skewer him from behind. "Kurama watch you back!" Yusuke yelled in caution to his friend before the shard had the chance to end his life. Yusuke didn't have to worry, Kurama had already sensed the oncoming dagger and a split second before the shard could impale the beloved kitsune, he vanished – or more like he moved so quickly that it seemed as though he disappeared – and reappeared on top of the lethal shard. Using the force of his weight, he shifted the direction of the shard towards an extremely large and deadly shard on route towards Yusuke. With his hands full with deflecting the dozens of other shards commanded to take his life, Yusuke was not aware of the one shard that was the most dangerous at the moment.

Kurama had to warn him, just in case he could not reach him in time, "Yusuke, get down!" Without even looking back, the spirit detective dove downward; throughout the many battles fought side by side with Kurama, Yusuke knew when it was wise to heed the kitsune's warnings, and now, just like any other time, was as good a time as any.

With Yusuke out of the way, Kurama increased his youki and directed it into the shard, augmenting the speed of the rock dagger. In less than a second Kurama jumped off of the shard and sent in flying into the mass of its siblings surrounding and preparing to attack Yusuke. The resulting force of the energy charged shard caused a huge explosion and for all of the other shards in the vicinity to be destroyed along with cluster surrounding Yusuke.

The shear force of the explosion caused Yusuke to fly back some feet away from the energy. 'Damn Kurama, and you say I'm brutal,' he thought to himself, rubbing the back of his head where he collided with the ground. He got up and walked to where Kurama was standing. He was in a face off with Gedon; neither one of them removed their gaze from the other.

"Pretty clever, red. But trust me, there's more where that came from,"

"Really, then I shall have to become more creative in my strategies for dodging rocks," Kurama said mockingly.

Gedon assumed his previous position before he attacked them with the shower of destruction. He began building up his ryuuki once more, "Not this time pal!" Yusuke screamed as he charged his energy into his fists and hauled ass towards Gedon ready for round three of his punch fest. Before he could reach him however, a slab of rock akin to a wall rose from the ground blocking his attack from Gedon. It didn't stop Yusuke however; his fist slammed and eradicated the slab in front of him, when that one was destroyed he found himself bombarded with another wall. With every wall he destroyed he was faced with another in its place. It was the never ending story of freaking rocks.

After destroying his tenth wall of rock, Yusuke phased behind the towering Gedon and delivered a side thrusting kick into the small of his back. The blow sent the dragon of the earth crashing into his own rock shield. With the dragon still airborne, Yusuke charged his reiki into his right index finger, "Rei Gun!" he yelled as the giant blue blast crashed into Gedon and seemed to incinerate him. Once the blast disappeared, his ashes fell to the earth. "Hmph, not so cocky when you're burnt to a cinder."

"Yusuke, Look out!" Kurama yelled. It was too late, a barrage of miniature meteors collided into Yusuke at all angles. With everyone he blocked or destroyed about fifty replaced them.

Gedon, the earthen version of him, reappeared from the ground; and from his body made of clay, long worm-like shards began to grow from him and attack Kurama (think elder toguro). Seemingly unperturbed, the fox elegantly dodged the attack and leapt some distance away. When he landed, his energy surrounded his body to for a thick white aura around him. As the worm-like shards reconvened to advance on him, all of the trees surrounding him bent down towards him to block the impending attack.

The sharp earthen vines from Gedon began hack away at the barks of the trees protecting Kurama. "If you think that this can keep me from you then you're de-," Gedon ceased to talk as he heard something approaching them. Kurama also heard it and sensed exactly who it was.

Botan.

If Gedon found her, he would no doubt use her as a hostage.

The blue haired ferry girl pushed her way through the vine covered forest; moving blindly towards the sounds of battle that cried through the air. Upon passing through the last wall of greenery, Botan found what she was looking for, her companions fighting for their lives against the onslaught of the dragon keeper Gedon.

"BOTAN! GET DOWN!" the familiar voice of Kurama yelled, however he was no where to be found. She turned her voice towards the direction which it was sounded; however, her view was bombarded by a ripped, bronzed abdomen. Botan looked up a couple of feet into the steely eyes of the obstruction, Gedon.

Without hesitation, Botan turned and tried to run away. However, the kimono clad girl was subdued by two massive hands came down at the sides of her arms and clasped tightly on them. Botan let out a terrified shriek. As if trying to silence her, he clamped down even harder on the helpless grim reaper (A/N: How can the grim reaper be helpless? That phrase is almost absurd). By now, Kurama's protective shield of trees had moved away and the continuous onslaught of rocks and boulders attacking Yusuke had died down when Gedon had taken his hostage. The two confronted Gedon and readied themselves for battle.

Gedon stood tall raising the confined Botan up so that her head was at the same level as his own. "Well aren't you one hot piece of ass," he said gruffly, and then proceeded to licking the side of her face in a slow suggestive manner.

"No!" she screamed out in revulsion.

The move garnered a very potent glare from both Yusuke and Kurama. Kurama let out a low growl from deep within his throat, "Gedon. Let the girl go, she means nothing to you,"

Gedon looked up from nuzzling Botan's neck and grinned wickedly at Kurama, "Yes, but she does seem to mean something to you," upon saying that, Gedon showed Kurama and Yusuke his protruding fangs as if suggesting what he intended to do - Mark her, not as a mate but as a slave. Dragons mate only once in their lifetime but were inclined to take one or two prostitutes, both male and female, if they desired.

"Son of a Bitch!" yelled Yusuke.

"You will not!" said Kurama.

Both of the warriors charged towards the dragon of the earth, energy, both demon and spirit alike flared at astronomical amounts.

A black shadow flashed before the enraged Yusuke and Kurama. The two stopped in their tracks as blood splattered before them and onto Botan. The girl shrieked as she fell to the ground covered in dragon blood, along with Gedon's severed head. The decapitated warrior fell to the ground and a pool of crimson began to surround him. Upon landing, Botan looked down at her now ruined kimono in revulsion, "eew," she said to herself.

Yusuke and Kurama ran up to Botan helping her up, "Botan, are you injured?" Kurama asked in a concerned tone.

"Yes, I'm fine. But how did-," she looked behind Kurama and Yusuke at a certain fire demon looking lazily at her, cradling his blood soaked katana. "Hiei," she said gently, "You're going to have to stop rescuing me like this, people might start to think we're in love,"

Hiei visibly shuddered at THAT thought. "Not even in you idiotic fantasies could you even conceive or handle being with a man like me; nor would I in a drunken, disease infested, state would ever think of you in such a disgusting manner."

Botan sniffed the air in disdain, folded her arms and turned away, "Your loss, my vertically challenged friend,"

Kurama chuckled slightly and Yusuke closed his eyes, "Damn Hiei, you certainly have a way with the ladies," he mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hn," he stated while slashing his sword through the air, ridding the shiny steel blade of its bloody coat.

"Botan, you fly back to spirit world, I have a feeling that this fight isn't over yet,"

Hiei looked towards Yusuke, confused. However, he didn't have to ask the spirit detective what he meant, the Jaganshi sensed the resurrecting energy of Gedon begin to manifest again.

Botan materialized her oar and soared away into the heavens, leaving the three tentei to deal with their very own Lazarus.

"I take it, that you've been through this routine a number of times, correct?" Hiei asked watching the earthen warrior rematerialize to his former self.

"Dude, we've been fighting this asshole since you disappeared with the red head," Yusuke looked around the area and scratched his head, "speaking of which, where is that little wench?"

"Hn, it's best to not ask questions which you are not prepared to receive the answers for," Hiei said darkly, "You will see what I mean momentarily,"

The two simply shrugged off the bad feeling they were getting and returned their attention to Gedon.

The dragon returned to his fleshy tissue self and laughed heartily, "How many times must I warn you fools, you cannot kill me like that. I'm invincible."

A dark fit of humorless laughter rose from the depths of Hiei's chest, "Is that so. I apologize then. I only wanted a matching set."

Everyone looked towards Hiei, wondering what in the hell he was talking about. They did not have to ponder the vagaries of his words for long. The fire demon reached into his cloak and pulled out the severed head of Kirra. Her eyes were cast upward, frozen in the final position of the last moments of her life. The moment where she looked up into the attack of her executioner. Hiei.

Gedon's face was one of pure terror as he looked into the face of his mate. The semblance of life cast across her features was fast becoming a mere shadow of the life she once possessed. "Little fire," he whispered sadly.

Hiei threw her head towards the crumbling warrior, "Your bitch," he said menacingly.

Yusuke and Kurama looked aghast at the work of the Jaganshi. Well, Yusuke now had an inkling of what the bad feeling he felt earlier was about. And judging by the strange energy being released by Gedon, his bad feeling was well warranted.

Hiei folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. "Yes, the little wench thought that she was a match for me. However, she was sadly mistaken."

:-:-:- Flashback: Hiei vs. Kirra -:-:-:-

The blaze of red flames that flared around Hiei died down completely. The vertically challenged warrior looked around taking in his surroundings. Red, hot molten rock surrounded the steaming hot platform he stood on. Molten lava flowed everywhere except for the platform he was standing on.

"A volcano," he said to himself.

"Yonaha- Dake, a beautiful site to behold, ne?" A feminine voice called out to Hiei's senses, automatically causing him to turn his head towards it. The copper haired, red dragon was standing in the magma ahead of him. Her golden eyes fully illuminated, were blazing like two golden embers, "It's a tad romantic, don't you agree Hiei-san?"

Hiei's only response was to unsheathe his katana and position himself in a defensive stance.

"What's wrong Hiei, do you not like the surroundings as well." She looked at him, her eyes filling with lust as she took in the muscled body of the poised warrior before her. His fiery gaze focused on her with a powerful intensity that would have sent other fighters running for their mothers. However, those crimson orbs and the dangerous passion they promised only served to arouse her. She smirked in satisfaction as she took in the rest of his rock hard body, "I must admit, you are one of the most intensely sexual men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I have never had a man handle me the way that you-," Hiei vanished from her sight without a trace.

Without warning, the red dragon keeper felt hot steel pressed against her jugular. Her racing pulse caused her throat to bob up and down, making the blade of his katana slice gently into her flesh like a hot knife through butter. Tiny trickles of blood ran down the column of her neck.

She felt the heat of his breath puff against her neck as he spoke to her, "tell me, Dragon," he said placing distasteful emphasis of the word dragon, "Do you find pleasure in the fact that you are about to meet your maker?"

Before she could question him, she felt the blade of his sword lift, momentarily, from her neck and then excruciating pain as he slashed the heated blade back downward into her neck severing her head from her body in a bloody gush.

As her head fell to the ground the eyes moved upward looking into the face of her executioner.

"May flights of devils wing you to your rest," Hiei said as his blood red eyes glowed in satisfaction.

:-:-:-:-End Flashback-:-:-:-:-

Hiei's eyes glazed over in pleasure at the memory of Kirra's death, "It was really quite pathetic how quickly she died. She truly had no earthly clue that she was flirting with death," he said sinisterly, smirking at the true meaning behind his words.

Gedon looked up at the cocky visage of Hiei and his eyes began to darken ominously. The golden irises as well as the whites of his eyes began to turn black. A dark and evil energy began to seep from his body forming a black aura to surround him. His body heaved up and down with the labor of his breaths and the earth beneath him began to tremble as if in fear.

"Dammit Hiei, did you really have to do that," said Yusuke, suddenly feeling regret over the Jaganshi's revelation of Kirra's death.

"Truly Hiei, I do not believe that this was the wisest thing you have done in your lifetime," said Kurama, also becoming concerned over the situation.

Suddenly, a loud animalistic roar ripped from Gedon's body as he grew large in size. His bronzed frame stretched; the skin tightening until it could hold no more; tearing, slitting and destroying itself. The meat of his exposed flesh had shown pink as it too began to grow; pulsating with extreme amounts of energy. "QUAKE OF DESTRUCTION!" he screamed as he fell to his knees and brought both of his fists together, slamming them into the ground, causing it to crack beneath his fists.

The trio waited in anticipation for his attack. A full thirty, uneventful seconds passed without any indication of attack. The three were about to relax when out of the blue the ground beneath them began to crumble and fall into what seemed to be the depths of hell.

"Holy Shit!" Yusuke said as he, along with his two other demon companions ran to avoid being sucked into hell. Huge explosions of molten lava and magma came to the surface, destroying everything in its path, including Gedon, who seemed to fall into the hell-like cavern below.

As Yusuke, Hiei and Kurama ran to find some type of safety from the never ending attack. The three were ahead of the falling earth when they were bombarded by the same dreaded wall of rock which had impeded them from venturing even further into the woods.

"What do we do now?"

"We don't have time to think Kurama; if you didn't know the whole fucking world is falling into hell!" With that, Yusuke pointed his index finger towards the wall and shot, "Rei gun!" the huge blast of blue energy made contact with the wall, decimating it completely.

The three fighters continued to run for what seemed like forever until a huge explosion of lava blasted upwards in front of them, totally destroying the earth before them. From the explosion emerged a now completely deformed Gedon. All of his skin had completely melted away due to the lava, and his body seemed to be undergoing a drastic metamorphosis. The flesh and pink muscle jerked and bubbled and began to grow at an astronomical rate. In a deafening roar is entire body was consumed in blackish gold energy which grew brighter and brighter until…BOOM!

The entire night sky had glowed with his energy in the biggest explosion ever witnessed by man.

'Oh yeah that one is definitely going to be on the six o' clock news,' Yusuke thought cynically to himself.

When the light and energy from the explosion died down, the tentei looked up into the firmament and gasped in wonder, and horror at the sight before them. Gedon had truly become the dragon. All semblance of his humanoid body was gone, the only thing that remained was a hundred story dragon about ten thousand feet in length hovering over them in the night sky. His scales were a deep brown color with golden flecks running through the tips of them. His head, which held his luminous golden orbs along with two monstrous black horns, was now fringed in long black hair trailing all the way down to his tail. He was truly a sight to behold.

"Die," was what the dragon hissed to them as he once again was surrounded in a golden aura, blazing the night sky.

The earth around the trio had all but disintegrated, leaving no where to run or hide. They were completely surrounded by lava, not to mention the huge god-like dragon hovering over them. Without warning, a wall of lava towered over them, circling around the small bit of land left around them, waiting for the command to falter and crash down upon them melting them into nothingness.

"Well this is a fucked up way to die," said Yusuke, sweating profusely from the heat and noxious gases that surrounded him due to the lava. Kurama was in the same condition as he was, and Hiei, being a fire demon, was showed no signs of physical discomfort, though he to could sense that the end was near.

Suddenly, the walls of the lava barrier began to fall, this was the end. It would be over soon. The tentei fell to their knees and closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the end.

Arctic winds. Frozen, artic winds caressed their senses, not the scalding hot flames of the lava. This was not at all the end they were expecting. Cautiously, the group looked upward only to find that the wall of lava had been frozen solid. Kurama expelled a breath, as the realization of how close to death he had come dawned on him. He looked up into the sky and to his utter shock; the frame of Gedon went through another transformation. He was frozen solid hovering in the air, supported by an invisible force. "Look!" Kurama shouted as he pointed up into the air. Three pairs of eyes turned upward to the sky, and widened in unrestrained shock.

"But who?" Yusuke whispered the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Twice is the number that you have died since I have returned, Yoko," a steely feminine voice sounded behind them. Everyone whipped their heads around at the familiar and cold voice.

There she was, the white dragon keeper, Shihiko, standing proud, dressed in the all white Reikai prisoner uniform. Her hair, a shimmering white waterfall, spilled down her shoulders, unrestrained by any bondage. "Ice, his only weakness, was the only thing your team was lacking," she said as she turned those icy, blush and gold, more gold than blush, eyes towards Yusuke.

"How in the hell did you get out of prison?" Yusuke asked a bit peeved.

"Yusuke!" Kurama scolded softly.

Her cold eyes, becoming even colder, due to Yusuke's ungrateful attitude, pulsated with muted gold light; though her impassive features were set in stone and unwavering.

"This is the debt I must pay for trying to destroy the world. A debt, I am sure, both you Kurama and Hiei, are familiar with." She stretched her hand outward, in front of her, and a small white flame kindled to life there. The flames disappeared and then reappeared, in no time at all, upon the frozen figure of Gedon.

'What are you doing? If you've just defeated him, why are you defrosting him?" asked Yusuke.

"I am not defrosting him. I am making sure he never returns to this realm," suddenly Gedon's corpse flashed a bright white and then, with a sound akin to the clapping of thunder, he disappeared without a trace.

Yusuke, Hiei and Kurama looked at her handiwork appreciatively, but tried not to show it. "So what, now you're some overly powerful dragon god or something," Yusuke said sarcastically.

A tiny evil smirk spread across her face, "No more than you or the other members of your little team are, you and I have about the same power level. Although my experience makes me a hell of a lot better than you," she said mockingly.

"Hn," Hiei said off in the distance.

"So, how is it that you've come to be here Shihiko? What is your arrangement with Koenma?" Asked Kurama.

Her gaze shifted back towards his emerald orbs. She really didn't want to recall her meeting with the Reikai prince in the bowels of Spirit world prison. But her desires were unwarranted as the pungent memory wafted through her brain once again.

:-:-:-:-Flashback-:-:-:-:-

"Lady Shihiko," he said quietly. She turned her head slowly to the side, barely acknowledging him.

"The toddler prince; what can I do for you?" she said silently, almost sadly.

Koenma walked towards the force field and waved his hand in front of the invisible expanse. The act dissolved the energy field causing the white dragon keeper to stare at the prince in confusion.

"I have a proposition for you…" Koenma said. She looked into the depths of his eyes to see what his motives were, to see whether or not he was sincere.

He was…

She nodded her head slightly to tell him that he could proceed.

"I am sure you realize what I am about to ask of you, but, it is my duty to offer you this opportunity formally,"

Koenma visibly flinched at her unwavering gaze, "You want me to work for you, correct?" she said in an even tone, devoid of any emotions.

"That's correct. You will be released from prison and allowed to live in Japan until your sentence has ended." He stood at the borderline between the cell and the outside. It was all up to her now, her choice of freedom, or as close to it as she could get, or solitary confinement for all eternity. She knew that no other offers would come after this. This was the best and only chance she could get for a new life…

For now…

Slowly, she stood up, a smooth, graceful movement, the trademark of the feminine character, and walked towards Koenma. Her eyes focused solely on his hazel orbs, refusing to relinquish them from her grasp. When she came abreast of him her eyes broke contact and she continued to walk down the Reikai prison hall, "Sure," she said in a light hearted manner.

Koenma released the pent up breath that was lodged in his throat throughout their silent exchange. Then he turned and looked towards her, "Shihiko wait!"

The girl turned, facing him sideways.

"How did you know that my first offer was a hoax?"

The girl tilted her head slightly to the side, an innocent expression planted on her face, "Simply put…it is an easy thing to distinguish what is true or false, what is sincere and what is bullshit when one has had a lifetime of studying its nature,"

:-:-:-:-End Flashback-:-:-:-:-

Shihiko tried to dispel the memory of her release. Although she was free, she was not completely rid of the shackles of her past. Namely Kurama. While she had rid herself of one aspect of her past, another, more powerful issue and aspect emerged. And it seemed as though she would be stuck with this issue for a VERY long time.

"So, why did pacifier breath let you off the hook?" Yusuke asked, breaking her train of thought. Her eyes searched out the two demons of the group.

"Like you, I am sentenced to work for spirit world; this is the price that I must pay for my 'freedom'" suddenly white flames enclosed her body, then she disappeared.

"Ch, what an asshole," Hiei muttered under his breath.

:-:-

:-:-

:-:-

End

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Shit that was a long chapter. Just about 6,000 words. I couldn't divide this chapter, I hate dividing chapters, it sucks.

Well I have a few changes to make.

The sensui saga has not occurred yet. I have watched all of the YYH DVDs up to bandits and kings and have therefore decided to have it happen after the Rain saga.

This change means that Hiei, as I mentioned in an earlier chapter, is not an A class demon, but a middle B class demon.

Final message. This is not a change but something that I am simply bringing to light. This is only a slight romance fic, meaning that…well that's something that I can't say. But, this fic is going somewhere that is most definitely not obvious.

There will be other hookups. There will be a slight Hiei x oc romance and a Botan x oc romance.

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Review responses:

Sweet kiss of Chaos: Thank you very much. I am so happy that you like my fic. Please continue to read and review my story.

Aquaticmage: thank you for enjoying my story. Please read and review again.

Katana: My fav. Fan! Thank you! Yes it is very hard to write fight scenes and this chapter was by far the hardest to write. I hope you liked it and that it was suspenseful enough for you and the other readers. Thanks for reviewing, please review again!

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Thank you all again. The next chapter begins the dark saga!

Till next time!


	20. Atrum Saga, Capitulus Unus: Everto Ligat

Sorry for the VERY long hiatus. I had an incurable form of writer's block that I am just now, partially getting over.

But, now I'll just continue the story, here lies the beginning of the Dark Saga.

All of the chapter titles are going to be in Latin for this saga.

-:-:-:-:-

Atrum Saga, Capitulus Unus: Everto Ligatio

The Dark Saga, Chapter one: Demonic Imprisonment

-:-:-:-:-

"REIGUN!" the giant blue bullet of energy screamed forward towards its intended target; a colossal phantom-like creature, covered in ghostly purple flames, floating about three feet above the ground. Erebus, a violent spirit, named for the place of its birth, the deepest pits of Hades, hovered before the tentei. Its body, an entity of violet flames carrying a multitude of captive souls from both Ningenkai and the nether realm, had no support from any lower limbs. Five, gruesome crimson eyes in the formation of a 'V' glared down from the apparition's visage and into the core of each of its five enemies. And into each of them, sent a constant ghastly vision: their own souls captured within his massive gait.

As Yusuke's bullet reached its destination, the Erebus barred its vicious fangs and swung his deadly clawed appendage towards the ball of energy deflecting it with little or no effort.

"AGH! Dammit!" Yusuke growled deep from within his chest. Narrowly dodging the razor sharp talons of the phantom by performing a back flip a few feet away; Yusuke threw a very impatient glare towards Shihiko, "Hey dragon chick, think you can hurry it up, we're running out of fire power here!"

Shihiko, the newest edition to the Reikai tentei stood some distance away, Kurama by her side, with her eyes closed, glowing an eerie shade of gold and red. The white dragon was concentrating hard on unleashing a spell to return spirits to hell. Since the Erebus is immune to any physical harm, the only way to defeat it was by exorcising it to another realm. Needless to say, this level of spell took some time, and lots of energy to pull off. In the meantime, the rest of the members of the tentei were focusing all of their efforts on distracting the phantom from their trump card.

Hiei and Kuwabara were the first line of attack, slicing away at the beast at close range. Yusuke took care of the long range attacking; and Kurama took care of any danger that would interrupt Shihiko's spell casting. All in all, it was the perfect strategy, except for the time factor, for they had been fighting this battle for nearly forty five minutes.

"Yeah, I don't want to be ghost food!" Kuwabara added while fending off another attack by Erebus. His spirit sword clashed violently with the creature's other clawed hand. The phantom began to put more strength into his attack and started to push Kuwabara down to his knees. "grrrr, a little help" he ground out through clenched teeth; beads of sweat forming along his forehead from the heat generated from Erebus' inflamed appendage as well as from his own fear of becoming worm's meat.

Erebus threw back his other hand to deliver a fatal blow to Kuwabara. Just as the creatures hand began to descend, Kuwabara squeezing his eyes shut in preparation of the deadly strike, a black streak whizzed through the air severing the spirit's attacking claws. The appendage fell downward, but, before reaching the ground, the fires of its arm extinguished leaving no trace of its existence.

In a split second later the spirit's second limb was severed, its fate mirroring that of its twin's.

"Baka, what are you waiting for, move!" a deep, irritated voice sounded from behind Kuwabara. The startled teen opened his eyes as the screeching wail of the Erebus sounded through the air. The spirit lurched back as if in pain. Suddenly, a number of old roots began to sprout from the earth and twine around the Erebus, as per Kurama's command, holding him steady for a few moments as his limbs began to regenerate.

Suddenly a bright light flashed from behind the group. Yusuke looked back and saw that Shihiko was FINALLY ready to put the fucker out of his misery.

"Oy! Kuwabara, get out of the way." The spiritually aware teen caught sense of the immense amount of power building behind him and scurried as far away as he could from the Erebus.

Shihiko, sensing the coast was clear, opened her eyes, which were now burning more with gold than blush, and pointed her right hand out to the unsuspecting beast, index and middle fingers extended outward, "Erebus , filius of incendia EGO expello thee ut barathrum!"

The invisible force sprung from Shihiko's fingers and landed upon the Erebus. After about thirty seconds of nothing happening, Yusuke quirked an eyebrow and voiced the thought that ran through the four other tentei's minds, "THAT was IT! THAT is what we got our asses kicked for?"

Shihiko simply closed her eyes and folded her arms…waiting.

A piercing scream rented through the air and the four male tentei looked towards the phantom, only to find him consumed in Black flames. Just as suddenly as the black flames appeared they disappeared, taking the Erebus with it.

Yusuke whistled his approval at the space of blackened earth which was Erebus' previous whereabouts. "I have to hand it to you, that was one kick ass move…a little long winded, but still…"

Kurama gave a tiny smile in her direction only to find that she had already begun to saunter off. Leaving the rest of the fighters alone in the woods.

"Gee, what's wrong with her," asked Kuwabara. He really didn't get to know Shihiko as well as the others had since he was away at the time she joined the Reikai tentei, not saying that anyone else but Kurama knew anything about her except for the fact that she was a white dragon.

"Must be that time of the month," Yusuke said with a nod of his head.

"Urameshi! Boys aren't supposed to talk about… private girl things," Kuwabara said glancing from side to side as if anticipating an angry group of females was laying in wait to attack him if he continued talking about the subject at hand.

"…Idiot…" Hiei muttered under his breath. Making his way towards the general direction of the Reikai portal where Botan was waiting to take them to Koenma for a full report of the battle.

The others followed close by with Kuwabara and Yusuke still arguing about the vagaries of P.M.S.ing. With little or no thought of the two's argument on his mind Kurama tried to bat off the nagging worry building up over a certain white dragon keeper.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

Shihiko walked briskly down the street on which her apartment was located. Her stealthy retreat from the other tentei was aided by the darkness of the night as well as her all black ensemble, which included a tee shirt, jeans and a 3/ 4 length jacket. The dead of night cloaked her like camouflage as the crisp autumn wind whipped gently about her coat.

She entered into the silent complex. Not surprisingly, no one was awake, being that the hour was now an ungodly two in the morning. She quietly crept up the unlit stairwell leading to her door and entered into the dark quarters. The moment she closed the door, a sharp prickling feeling rose up and down her spine. A feeling she fully knew meant that danger was near. Just as soon as the sensation had come, it disappeared leaving her with a realization of who her uninvited visitor was.

Closing her eyes gently, she exhaled the pent up breath she did not even realize she was holding, "There are better ways of arranging a meeting you know," she said sarcastically.

She turned around to look behind her and saw her said perpetrator.

Ran. The little red dragon keeper.

Ran simply stared back at Shihiko, her visage painting the perfect image of stoicism. Yet her eyes were molten gold. A sure sign of the fiery rage which the petite warrior held within.

Being a dragon, Shihiko fully knew the significance of the golden eye color which mingled with a dragon keeper's normal eye color. The gold of the iris is from the blood of the Dragon that coursed through each dragon keeper's veins. The amount of gold which is present in the eye is a sign of the level or intensity of emotion felt by the holder. The more fluffy, loving, sexual and carefree emotions yielded an iris color which held less gold and more of the other dominant color which represents the holder's clan or race. The ferocious, angry or enraged emotions yielded an iris color which held more gold than the clan color. And if a keeper's eye color were to turn completely gold, then one should watch their ass because nothing, absolutely nothing will stop the dragon from attacking until the subject of their attention has been exterminated.

Luckily for Shihiko, Ran's eyes held the tiniest bit of red in their depths. However, she would still have to be on guard and choose her words very wisely; for if the wrong phrase is uttered, one of them would meet their maker tonight, and Shihiko was not all that sure that the one who would die would be Ran.

The two stared at each other, no words were uttered during the length of time they studied each other's eyes. It seemed an eternity of deafening silence had passed before Ran broke eye contact with Shihiko and strolled leisurely towards the window overlooking the city. It was as alive during the twilight hours as it was during the day.

More minutes of silence passed between the two, and without warning, "I've been asked to escort you to Kairen," Ran said silently, still gazing out at the city below. "This is your final chance for redemption. If you ignore it, then you are an enemy of the Dragon World and of Lord Kairen and will be dealt with accordingly." She turned to face Shihiko, her face void of any emotion, "Make your choice, your deceptions grow wearisome."

"I have made my choice." Shihiko said without hesitation. She turned her back on Ran and walked towards her bedroom as if she didn't have a care in the world, "I suppose that this means that we are now adversaries," she paused in the doorway of her bedroom and looked over her shoulder at the red head, "but then again, we were never friends," then silently she shut the door behind her.

-:-:-:-:-

5:00 a.m…

The sun crept up slowly over the horizon of the city. Its early rays awaked the sounds of nature as the intermittent tweeting and chirping of birds announced the arrival of morning…

"BEEEEP! BEEEEP! BEEEEP! BEEEEP!"

The damnable noise of the alarm clock blared through the bedroom incessantly. All traces of morning glory and the sounds of nature had been shot to hell. After the fifteenth mind splitting ring of the clock a weary hand emerged from underneath a blue comforter and blasted a white fire ball at the heinous mechanical 'wonder of man,'.

A very grumpy Shihiko moved the sky blue comforter from off of her and glared in evil satisfaction at the lump of charcoal that used to be her alarm clock. "That was for the rude awakening,"

The death of the damnable alarm clock had been part of the new morning ritual Shihiko was forced to put up with along with a little thing called… homework.

Homework! Alarm clocks! Late night patrolling going hand in hand with the hell of early morning awakenings! This was not what she signed up for. Killing on behalf of Reikai was one thing…but, SCHOOL, was quite another.

-:-:-:-

As per the 'request' of the almighty toddler, Shihiko was forced to attend the daily facilitated hell made for children, better known as school. This 'request' was 'suggested' to Shihiko, by Koenma, in order to make her 'fit into' Ningenkai, since it seemed that, for the time being, it was her new 'home'.

The 'request' in her point of view was 'bullshit'.

Shihiko walked down the sidewalk on her way to Mieou High, the high school which Kurama, or Suuichi as he is known as in this world, attended. It was about 6:30 in the morning when she came upon a solitary figure leaning with his back against a wall and one foot hiked up behind him. Crimson locks blew gently in the autumn breeze as serene emerald eyes gazed thoughtfully at her face.

The two stared at each other for a few moments until Shihiko resumed her promenade past the lounging Kurama. She sashayed proudly a few feet away from him, fully aware that his eyes were still on her. She turned her head back to him haughtily, "Well, are you coming or not?"

Kurama let out the tiniest of chuckles and pushed off of the wall with every bit the grace and elegance of his former persona, the legendary spirit fox, Youko Kurama, and sauntered towards her with his right hand in his pocket, "Well, based on your conceited greeting this morning, I was not entirely sure I was greeted by the same Shihiko I knew 100 years ago; for she was a far more modest and polite young woman than the one standing before me today." He stopped walking once he came abreast of her, looking down, almost lazily, into her eyes.

"Well, the Shihiko you once knew 100 years ago had her heart stolen away by a thieving, conniving and utterly sensual spirit fox who then proceeded to mutilate and destroy what was left of it." She fluttered her eyelashes in his face and proceeded to walk ahead to school.

Kurama continued to watch her slow retreat, not entirely sure on how to take her remark. It was cold and meant to hit a mark, but, at the same time playful and utterly sensual. She looked over her shoulder, her wavy brunette locks flowing about her face, and flashed him a sincere smile, "Come on, or we'll be late," she said.

Kurama smiled gently at her and joined her on their daily walk to school.

The two created the image of quite a cute couple…or so everyone else watching from the outside thought. The close proximity in which they walked next to each other, the knowing, yet shy looks they gave to one another every now and then; this, as well as many more 'observations' were all signs of the perceived depth of affection and intimacy shared by the couple.

…well that's what everybody from the outside looking in thought, at least. However, the relationship between Kurama and Shihiko was far more complicated. There were too many complex layers, too many facets to the stone that embodied their relationship to be understood by anyone else who was not a part of that relationship. Were they a couple? Not in the conventional sense of the word. Were they friends? Well not in the conventional sense of the word. Well, do they like each other? Well, not in the conventional sense of the phrase 'like each other'. So what the hell WAS their relational status?

"…?..."

-:-:-:-:-

The lunch bell rang, rescuing the students from the lectures of their professors. Suuichi walked out of the classroom on his way to lunch and was instantly bombarded by Aya Tanaka. He sighed internally, for this was a daily ritual which he too had to suffer through.

The girl stood before him with her hands behind her back looking up coyly at him, "Good afternoon Suuichi-kun," she sang sweetly. Kurama tried his best not to look at her with a pained expression. He was hoping that with all of the rumors flying around about him being with Shihiko, or Yumi, that she, and the rest of his 'fan club' would back off. Unfortunately, the rumors only served to intensify their pursuit.

"Hello Ms. Tanaka," he said.

"I was hoping that you would join me for lunch today Suuichi-kun. I even prepared a special dessert just for you." She pulled out a container filled with a decadent mini cake, which looked suspiciously like a wedding cake.

Kurama suddenly felt trapped, the damn girl had prepared a freaking wedding cake for him! How was he supposed to get out of this?

Suddenly, he brought his hand up to his stomach and wore the very pained expression he was trying to hide from her, "Oh, Aya. I do believe that I've come down with something. I will have to pass on our lunch. Excuse me." He said as he brushed pass her and made like he was about to throw up. Which probably wasn't all that far from the truth.

-:-:-:-:-

The roof

-:-:-:-:-

Shihiko sat in her usual spot on the roof overlooking the court yard of the school. She watched as all of the students in their respective groups milled along playing games and having conversations about recent events. The door to the roof opened and closed silently; and without having to turn around she knew it was Kurama.

"You always manage to find me don't you?" she said silently.

"Well you're always in the same place," he walked towards her and sat on the ledge next to her.

She looked up at him after a while and noticed that he too was watching the courtyard, "You look a bit flustered. Has Aya been chasing you around again?" She asked with a bit of amusement coloring her tone.

He looked stonily at her, "Your amusement over the situation has become quite dreary,"

She shrugged nonchalantly and returned her gaze back towards the courtyard.

"Why do you come up here and watch, instead of going down there? It looks as if that is where you truly want to be." He said, watching her quizzically.

"Simply put, I do not belong among those people. I am as far away from them as their species is from bacteria." She said, her eyes never leaving the courtyard below.

"Is that why you choose not to befriend the other tentei?"

She said nothing. "We're meeting Kuwabara and Yusuke later on today…you should try to, at least, get to know them," he watched her, her features were unwavering throughout the conversation…yes, she had indeed changed from the Shihiko he once knew 100 years ago.

-:-:-:-:-

After school, Shihiko and Kurama walked down to the park, the place where they were to meet Kuwabara and Yusuke. It was an ideal meeting place due to the fact that it had an equal distance in between both schools and the park. As Shihiko and Kurama arrived at the destination they noticed that the two other members of their party had not arrived yet.

"I really don't know why I am surprised that they aren't here on time." Said Kurama in an almost exasperated tone.

"Why are we meeting each other?" she asked out of curiosity, "Is there a mission?"

Kurama didn't quite meet her eyes, a sure sign that he was planning something.

"IS there a mission?" she asked again, now out of suspicion.

"We're just going to hang out for a little while, that's all," Shihiko exhaled loudly and turned to leave. "We just want you to be more acquainted with the member s of the group. That's all."

She shot an incensed glare at Kurama, "Did you all have a group outing with Hiei to make him feel more comfortable with the group!"

"Actually, yes we did," she arched her right eyebrow delicately in disbelief, "well, we all went to Yusuke's house one night and got drunk," he said a bit sheepishly.

She blinked slowly and a tiny smile played on her lips until she bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling, "You all got Hiei drunk?" She paused for a moment as if in thought, "what is he like when he is inebriated?"

He chuckled lightly; he then saw Yusuke and Kuwabara approaching, "I'll tell you later," he said secretively.

"Kurama, Shihiko!" Yusuke called out and waved as he and Kuwabara walked towards them.

"Hello you two," Kurama said. Shihiko nodded her head in greeting at the two other tentei.

"So what are you two up for today?" asked Kurama.

"Well since dragon lady over here doesn't eat, we though that we would go catch a movie and then probably go get some ice cream."

"Wow, I still can't believe that you don't eat. I mean don't you crave a double cheeseburger sometimes? My life would be pointless without a double cheeseburger."

"I cannot crave what I have never had…and I do eat, just not as often as you humans do," it was short, but it was her attempt at conversation with her new teammates.

After a while the foursome went to the movies. After some debate the group finally decided to go and see Pulp Fiction (it was the only movie I could think of that was out at that time which Yusuke and Kuwabara would want to watch as well).

After the movie, which seemed to really enthrall Shihiko, the group went out for ice cream.

"This iced cream is truly a wonder. I must admit you humans have the food and entertainment business down." Shihiko said while licking her strawberry ice cream from off her waffle cone.

Kurama looked down at his watch which read 10:30 p.m. "Yusuke, I think it's time that we call this gathering to an end. It's getting late."

"Hell Kurama, why do you have to be the wet blanket of the group?" said Yusuke.

Shihiko smirked behind her ice cream cone. She had really enjoyed the human's company, though she was not ready to admit that little fact to them. She found a kindred spirit in Yusuke. He was truly funny and genuine. She could tell, even now, that down the line, if she allowed him to, he could become like a brother to her. And Kuwabara… well, he was truly endearing. It was obvious from the moment she met him that he was the true heart of the team. Even though he wasn't the strongest member, he did everything in his power and beyond to help his teammates. Yes, indeed the humans did have enjoyable qualities about them.

The three boys had continued in their mock argument over Kurama spoiling their fun when Shihiko decided to step in. "It's alright you guys, I am growing a bit tired myself," it was a lie, but who cared, "if you do not mind I believe that I shall retire." She said bowing her head, she then turned to leave.

"Shihiko, do you need me to escort you home?" Kurama asked forestalling her for a moment.

She looked back at him, "But you live all the way on the other side of town. It is too much of an inconvenience,"

"Yeah fox-boy." Yusuke said slyly, inching his way closer to Shihiko, "besides she and I are going in the same direction, so I'll just watch her for ya,"

"Alright then," he looked over to Shihiko, "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

She nodded her head, "Farewell Kuwabara,"

"Oh, yeah bye Shihiko," he said with a tiny blush. (He's not into her; Kuwa-chan is still 100 in love with Yukina).

After each said his or her goodbyes the two groups parted, each going into opposite directions…in every sense of the meaning.

Yusuke and Shihiko walked some time in companionable silence until Yusuke broke the silence, "So how long have you known Kurama?"

Shihiko glanced up at him and then back to the road in front of her, "For about a century now,"

Yusuke's eyes nearly bulged out at that tidbit of information, "100 years! Geez, you're one freaking old chick,"

Shihiko couldn't help but chuckle slightly at his outburst, "I am not THAT old," she said in a mock defensive tone, "Besides Kurama is over 1000 years old,"

"DAMN! So how old do you think Hiei is? Judging by the constant bug that seems to be driven up his ass, you'd think he'd be older than Kurama."

"I honestly do not know how old Hiei is. But judging from his physical features, I would guess that he is a relatively young demon."

The two fell into silence once again. Yet, it wasn't an awkward silence. It was rather enjoyable. However, humans being the way humans are, feel the need to strike up conversation in order to feel comfortable. A habit which Shihiko did not understand and also found rather annoying.

"So…" Yusuke drew out hesitantly, "You and Kurama, what are you two like boyfriend and girlfriend or something?"

Shihiko was genuinely confused a state emphasized by her scrunched up eyebrows, "I do not understand this term, boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Well, you know, are you two…lovers?"

All motion stopped at that moment as Shihiko paused to turn and face Yusuke, "Why would you want to know that?" she said, her face totally devoid of any emotion, yet conveying a very icy disposition.

"Well you two are always together and Kurama really seems close to you, I was just wondering…" he let the rest of the sentence trail off into the wind.

Shihiko let down her guard, just a little bit. She had her reservations about opening up the Kurama file. There relationship was too complex to go into detail with.

"Kurama and I… have a difficult past…" she began.

A loud scream broke out from the forested area of the park, interrupting her sentence. She and Yusuke looked at each other, "Let's go!" Yusuke said.

The two raced off into the forest until they came upon a clearing with a little boy lying face down in a pool of his own blood.

Yusuke bent down towards the little boy and turned him over. Shihiko came to peer over him.

"By Ryuushi!" Shihiko said absolutely stunned.

"His face…he doesn't have-,"

"YUSUKE LOOK OUT!" Shihiko screamed.

They were too late as the two tentei were engulfed in a sea of green energy.

-:-:-:-

To be continued…

-:-:-:-

Well that was the first chapter of the dark saga. I hoped you all liked it. And I hope even more to receive some reviews. For this chapter.

Speaking of reviews, I would like to thank Lucifer 001 and Spud for reviewing my fic. I'm glad at least someone reviewed that VERY LONG chapter I wrote. I look forward from hearing from you all again for this chapter.

Also, I am placing a modified, more adult version of this story on adultfan. you all want to check it out, it's up right now.

Anywayz, see y'all next chapter!


	21. Capitulus Duorum: Defluo et Constituo

Atrum Saga, Capitulus Duorum: Defluo et Constituo

Dark Saga, Chapter 2: Lost and Found

-:-

The green of the energy began to dissipate slowly leaving a scent of burnt earth, flesh and hair. The two prostrate figures began to stir jaggedly. Yusuke sat up slowly, his hands cradling his head between his legs. "Fuck," he said hoarsely, willing away the major traces of vertigo and nausea from his body.

Shihiko rose shortly after hearing a few more epithets voiced by Yusuke. She clutched her head and opened her eyes slightly trying to locate the bastard who sent that 'wonderful' package of pain and nausea their way. She slid her hand through her hair and stopped midway through. "Damn," she cursed softly.

Yusuke looked towards her, his own eyes widening slightly from the vision before him. Long white locks cascaded around her frame, pierced elfin ears protruded from the layers of her hair and her eyes and skin took on that lustrous quality that could only classify her as 'demon.'

"You changed back!" he yelled; both cringing at the volume of his tone. Indeed she had reverted back to her demon form. Whatever type of energy that was and whomever it was from had a tremendous amount of power if it was able to knock her out of her human form.

"Damn, you two look like shit,"

Both Shihiko's and Yusuke's eyes shot up violently towards the offending voice. A human man in his forty's with greasy brownish red hair and narrow black eyes strolled from out of the darkness of the forest and into the clearing.

"Well well, you must be the fucker who sent us the greeting," Yusuke said as he stood up slowly; still obviously affected by the last attack.

"The name's Kale, now get off your stinkin' asses and come and fight!"

"Ok, either you must be really stupid, or you have a death wish." Said Shihiko, folding her arms and watching the man in disgust.

"I'll opt for him just being suicidal, and it looks like I'll have to oblige him." Yusuke turned towards him, cracking his knuckles.

"Bring it you little bitch!" said Kale rushing towards Yusuke.

Yusuke flashed a cocky grin and in a split second his fist smashed into Kale's head. The lifeless body and head slid slowly off of Yusuke's fist leaving a trail of blood, and pieces of brain and skull along its path. Yusuke made a face at the sight of his fist.

"Eew, it's so disgusting. Why does shit like this always happen to me?"

"Maybe because you fly into any situation without thinking." Said Shihiko as she sauntered up to him, her eyes still fixed menacingly on the corpse of the dead human. "It serves him right, the bastard should have known who and what he was dealing with," she said, flipping her hair, dismissively, over her right shoulder.

Yusuke snorted and looked towards the body of the child lying on the ground, "What should we do with him?" he said staring at the abnormalities in the child's face, or lack there of. "The kid's still breathing; we should take him with us, right?"

"Whatever," she said nonchalantly and began to walk into the forest. Yusuke picked up the child and followed her into the darkness.

-: -: -: - Ten minutes earlier -: -: -: -

"Whoa! Did you feel that Kurama," A stunned Kuwabara froze in his tracks as a wave chilling power racked his senses. The two were on their way back to their homes from their outing with Shihiko and Yusuke.

"I think it came from the direction Yusuke and Shihiko were heading." Said Kurama; his senses also picking up the weird vibes that surge of power was giving off.

"Think we should go and check it out?" he asked staring off into the direction the two other tentei were headed in.

Kurama merely nodded, silently hoping that their comrades were all right.

-: -: -: - At the scene of the crime fifteen minutes later -: -: -: -

'She was here along with the detective. I could sense her essence, long before I arrived. But why only her?' Hiei knelt down on the ground and removed the ward covering his jagan. The third eye glowed in the darkened clearing casting an eerie violet glow in the area. He touched the scorched earth with his right hand, moving it slowly across the ground, 'this is where it happened, where she was.'

A rustle in the near by brush gained Hiei's attention as two familiar energy signatures approached.

'Kurama and the Baka' he rose from the ground and turned in their direction as they appeared.

"Hiei?" Kuwabara said as he was greeted by the sight of the jaganshi. Hiei ignored him and turned to Kurama.

"Yusuke and that dragon onna were here," he said debriefing the two; though he knew that they knew this already. He had been tracking Kurama and Shihiko since they left the school and was a third part to their little outing. He wasn't trying to stalk them or anything; he just didn't trust the onna.

"Yes, we know." Said Kurama, coming towards the 'battlefield', "We just left them about twenty minutes ago."

"Then we felt that weird energy near them and came to check up on them." Said Kuwabara joining the two demons, "But they're not even here."

"That human body has traces of both the onna and Yusuke's energy on it. One of them must have slayed him," said Hiei. He looked off to the side at another bloodstain, "and there was somebody else here who shared in the fatalities. That area has traces of both of them as well, but the onna's energy signature was the strongest and had the most exposure to the area."

Kurama quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He knew exactly what Hiei was trying to imply. However, why he thought his accusations were correct was beyond Kurama. He must know something that he is not saying. He looked towards the body of the dead man and checked it out. It wasn't that he did not trust the jaganshi; it was just that he needed to sense it for himself.

Kuwabara was pissed at Hiei's allegation. There was no way either Yusuke or Shihiko would kill a human. "What the hell are you talking about! Urameshi wouldn't kill a human!"

"Hn, exactly. So that only leaves one other person." Hiei said, his eyes flitting towards Kurama. As he thought, the fox's eyes were on him. He knew, better than anyone, even Kurama himself, that the fox was completely enamored with that onna. He believed her to be totally incapable of committing a crime now; that she was truly reformed. It was sad, considering…

"You can't be serious! She was just with us! We just had ice cream together AND she's nice…unlike some people!" Kuwabara said, looking pointedly at Hiei.

Hiei merely stared at Kuwabara, a bored expression gracing his features, "your idiocy truly knows no bounds," he said turning his attention elsewhere.

"What! You evil little midget-"

"Kuwabara," said Kurama, cutting off his friend, "let us try to focus on the situation at hand. And Hiei, can we not cease these accusations for now. For all we know someone could be trying to frame BOTH Yusuke and Shihiko. We should keep our heads together and remain logical, trying to view all angles of this situation to figure out what truly went on. Anything is possible."

"Including your woman being responsible," Hiei clarified.

"If that is what you choose to believe Hiei," he said stoically. He had no idea why Hiei despised Shihiko so; but he was going to find out. "Now, the first plan of action we must take is to locate Yusuke and Shihiko. Kuwabara, I will leave Yusuke to you. Hiei, can you check the city to see if there are any traces of them around?"

The jaganshi nodded and stalked off. "So, you're going to go check on Shihiko?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, I will go to her apartment. I will contact you tomorrow and we shall discuss what we found."

"Alright, later," Kuwabara said, waving from behind as he walked away.

Kurama watched the orange haired youth until he disappeared behind the foliage. He walked over to where the area where the missing body was and knelt down beside it. He brought his face down to the earth and inhaled deeply, trying to pick up anything he could. Indeed he did smell Shihiko's scent in that area as well as Yusuke's and the other person. However, there was something else there; something that stung his nose and caused him to reel away. It smelled like…battery acid, ice and smoke.

'That's very unusual…and yet familiar.'

He stood up, dusting off his uniform pants, and made his way to Shihiko's apartment; imprinting that scent on his mind.

-:-:-:-

The next morning

-:-:-:-

Kurama sat at his desk in Biology class, not really paying attention to his teacher. His mind was preoccupied by the events of last night. Two of his teammates and friends had disappeared and were no where to be found. There were many mysterious clues left behind and none of them seemed to lead anywhere. Last night, he swung by Shihiko's apartment to find any traces of her. Unfortunately, there were none. However, he did sense that there had been traces of other being in her house…youkai. When and why they had been there, he did not know.

This had only worried the kitsune more. On top of that, the same scent: ice, battery acid and smoke were present in her apartment. When he returned home Kuwabara called him to inform him that Yusuke had not returned home either. It hadn't surprised him really, but it did unnerve him. It was not like Yusuke to up and disappear without some type of notice. For Shihiko, such a thing would be expected, but, Yusuke was grounded here in Ningenkai and had too much to leave behind. Indeed, it was a strange set events.

He and Kuwabara contacted Botan to inform her of what was going on and they had agreed to meet at the scene of the crime after school today. He only hoped that the grim reaper had found something useful.

The lunch bell rang, startling Kurama out of his reverie. Already, with the absence of Shihiko, his fan club had swarmed around him like stink on shit. Kurama sighed silently, already missing the presence of the white dragoness. 'This is most definitely not what I need right now,' he thought while excusing himself from their squeals and wandering hands.

-:-:-:-

It was most unnerving, the sight set before her. The dead man had remained in his post mortem pose with the remnants of his exploded head lying around him like candy from a busted piñata. All around the area was dried blood and burnt earth, proof of the scuffle that had occurred. Botan tore her gaze away from the scene for it was making her wretched.

The sounds of muffled of footsteps approached her from behind, "Hey Botan," a slightly gruff voice sounded, it was Kuwabara followed by Kurama. They were both impeccably dressed in their school uniforms.

The two approached her; grim expressions gracing their features. "Any news Botan?" Kurama asked. The ferry girl knew that he was worried about Shihiko. It seemed like the two of them had a very close connection, much like the bond he shared with Hiei, but, different.

She sighed, exhaustion and worry both taking their tolls on her as well, "It's not much I'm afraid. Koenma has found blips of their energy mingled with another unusual source of energy all over the city since last night. However, as soon as we locate the energy, they disappear without a trace,"

"Interesting, is there anything else?"

"No, I'm afraid not; but we're still looking,"

"Damn it! This is really starting to bug me," said Kuwabara, "It's not like Urameshi to do something like this. I hope Hiei is doing better than us,"

"Hiei?" asked Botan.

"Yes, I asked him if he could search the city with his jagan. He might find something that we have missed." Said Kurama.

"Hm, well I should be getting back to help with the search, keep your communicators close to you. We may find something soon." She said, trying to regain her optimism.

"Very well Botan-Chan,"

"See ya," said Kuwabara.

With that, the kimono clad ferry girl materialized her oar and flew up into the heavens.

-:-:-:-

Hiei's P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

I cannot tell you why I found my way to this place, or why I am sitting here reading her 'diary.' I can only tell you that I was drawn here, that I had to know more…more about who she was, her relationship with the fox…

Do not mistake my curiosity for something else. Do not presume that I am interested in her in any way. I simply like to know my enemies; to know how to destroy them. From reading her words, it is obvious that she has weaknesses, that she is weak. If she were to ever cross the line, it would be a simple thing to get rid of her…that is quite reassuring.

I flipped the page to read on about her personal history, her plight, and her ties.

The fox was here. He entered into the onna's bedroom, as graceful and quiet as ever. He had an air about him that would suggest that he had been in her bed on more than one occasion; and judging from her journal entries, it seems that that estimation is correct.

Cool verdant eyes surveyed the room and then landed upon me and then on the object in my hands. Mind you, I was not watching him during this time. My eyes were transfixed upon the journal I held in front of me. However, my jagan was uncovered and open, watching everything around me.

"Hiei," he said calmly, as unreadable as ever, "please tell me that you are not reading her diary,"

-:-:-:-

Kurama's P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

I rounded the corner of the hall that Shihiko resided on. It was quiet, most probably due to the late hour. As I approached her door, a familiar energy signal greeted me. It was Hiei. Hopefully the koorime had found something useful. I picked the lock to her apartment with an ease, which comes second nature to one who has practiced the fine art of larceny for over a millennium, and entered, taking in the view of her living area, trying to see whether or not she had returned. Everything was as it was the last time he came. No traces of her and everything impeccably neat and in its place.

I followed Hiei's energy signature to the room to my left, the bedroom. It was the second time I had visited this room. The first time, after I healed Shihiko from her injuries during the carnival, I had memorized every detail of its confines while she slept. Of course, she had no idea that I had done such a thing, but, none of that matters now.

Hiei was lounging to my right on the chaise lounge near the window. He was wearing his signature black ensemble which consisted of a black tank top, loose fitting pants tied close with two red belts and black boots. He reclined leisurely, seemingly relaxed, reading a leather bound book. A book he knew all too well to have been Shihiko's diary. He almost couldn't believe that the koorime had the audacity to read it. Truthfully, had he been in the same situation, he probably would have read it as well…

"Hiei, please tell me that you are not reading her diary," the young youkai merely snapped the book shut and tossed on Shihiko's bed. He looked up at me, a lazy look in his eyes, and settled deeper into the couch.

"And if it was…" he said with the tiniest hint of amusement coloring his tone, obviously trying to baiting me into an argument. I ignored his comment and the sly smirk that played across his lips at my avoidance.

"Have you found anything yet?" That was the reason I was here after all, to find out more clues, not to get into an argument.

"Nothing as of yet," he said, his eyes sliding past me to gaze out of the window, "However, there have been traces of their energy all around town, so they are alive."

I sighed, that was all I could do, this whole situation was beyond frustrating, "I am worried about them Hiei. It is quite unusual for them to disappear, not only, from the sight of your jagan, but also from watchful eye of Reikai. Whoever is holding them against their will must be quite powerful indeed."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hiei's eyes flick towards me and his right eyebrow raise in disbelief. I turned towards him, and saw that his normally stoic features had adorned the mask of incredulity. "What?" I inquired of him.

He didn't answer immediately, letting the pause between our dialogues further dramatize his skepticism. "Are you sure you can trust this woman?" There was no cynicism or malice in his tone only curiosity with a hint of concern.

"Hiei," I honestly did not know how to react.

"I'm just wondering how well you 'think' you know this girl," he said, his gaze completely serious and level with my own.

"You cannot possibly still think her an enemy Hiei."

"I trust no one fox, least of all her,"

Hiei rose from the chaise silently, heading for the window. Sensing that our conversation was over, I let the matter drop. "Koenma will contact us at the end of the week with more information," I said to him as he opened the window. He nodded, and then flitted out of sight.

I stood there, letting my conversation with Hiei seep into my mind. His concern was most endearing, but also misplaced. There was no need for him to concern himself with Shihiko. She was not our enemy. I looked over towards the bed at the discarded diary, and walked towards it, my curiosity overriding my sense of decency. I picked it up and flipped to the creased in page where Hiei most likely left off and turned to the beginning of the entry. It was written in a common dialect of Makai and not her draconic tongue. I sat at the edge of her bed and began to read.

'It has been a long time since I have written. It seems decades have passed when in fact it has only been about a year and a half. However, I now find myself in the quandary of all quandaries, a situation which forces my hand to write in your pages. The motivation for this entry: once again, emotions have reared their ugly heads in my life. I do not know how to explain my situation, or more so, how to make it coherent…but such has been the crux of my life since I was brought into this world- an act of adultery and consequence. A bastard child, born by chance in a union which embodied a nonsensical, loveless confusion. How else could one born in such a state record the events of her life, or explain their hopelessly rampant and unpredictable actions with out the words themselves being a jumble of incoherence.

'To understand my present situation, I must send you back to the beginning.

'It all started with you Youko. Sex, lies and abandonment. My first intimacy. Consensus and freedom. A choice made by me, uninfluenced by outside forces. It was mine, my choice, regardless of how screwed up the end result was.

'I was never forced with you, not like with the others; although, in hindsight, I can honestly say that I have never known heartache or true pain until I knew you…Sai, my rapist 'father' Danrai, and other-so many others-

'Why did I still fool myself into believing that I loved you Youko. Ah, the tale of my unprecedented, unbridled decisions begins. A man who destroyed me not physically but mentally and emotionally-he shattered me. Why do I still let him in? Why is he the only one? I must be a glutton for masochism.

'Truly, this must be so. The reason I pine for men that I cannot have. My true father, the nameless white haired warrior; maybe it all started with him. Who knows. Perhaps my need for my silver haired kitsune stems from the need of the absent father figure in my life. By Ryuushi, I sound like a shrink. But, I digress-is that not the meaning of my life…to digress further and further into uncertain choices that leave me irreparably scarred inside?

'Kairen, the lord of all the dragons. A man, the only man who has been unbeseechingly devoted to me. A man who claims he loves me. My once mentor in the sacred art of Ryuu-tau. My lover. A man that I forced into the arms of his new wife, Cecilla, a gold dragon keeper from the west. "A tie," I said, "that will bring you power and happiness." Funny is it not? The way I create my own personal hell…The only man who has ever truly cared for me, who loved me. Why do I do such things, why am I like this? And why, after I gave you away do I lure you into my bed while your dutiful wife waits for you, fully aware of the sins you commit with me during the twilight hours. Why do I hurt these people: Kairen and Cecilla- I lure you in only to push you away; I steal what is lawfully yours, though I am the one who gave him to you.

'Youko, why have you entered into my life again? I had toughened my heart, erected impenetrable walls around my broken core-a series of mismatched puzzle pieces that were forced together since the beginning.

'Since my emancipation of Kairen had taken place, I forced myself into a project to distract me from my blunder. Complete and utter domination over 'Ningenkai' and the destruction of the ningens who dwell in it. To think that this place is actually called Ningenkai when it was originally the home of all Ryuukind. What cheeky bastards those fools in Reikai are.

'My domination over the ningens, a project which would surely keep me away from Kairen-running away once again- brought me to Ningenkai which in turn got me captured; imprisoned and forced to serve a life sentence on probation under the 'almighty' toddler and assisting his young spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi.

'But, none of those things would have ever been as punishing as being forced to work with who? Tah dah, none other than the one who started it all: Youko Kurama, or Suuichi Minamino as he is now called in his borrowed ningen form.

'My, what a twist! So what, might you ask, has the masochist done now that she has been forced into this quandary? What is she feeling? Ye gods, if only she knew.

'He is so different now. Why is he so…I cannot say. There are no words to describe it; he is his old self, and yet, he is not. I want him, there is no question about that, but, the mere thought of wanting him makes my body and mind react violently. DON'T TOUCH! Not for one who is so emotionally fragile! But, he is the reason why I am the way that I am…is he not? At least partially. So, does it not make sense that our being together again will mend old wounds? Would it not be the completion of the tumultuous and arduous cycle? The conclusion of my search? Surely I am insane.

'However I may fill myself up with these delusions, I know that such a joining cannot be. For as I have aforementioned, my body and mind react most violently to such thoughts.

'I have also recently found myself wanting to be changed, slowly but surely, by outside forces. Another intriguing male specimen has found his way into my curiosity. A man who seems quite unattainable, but who soul could be more desolate than my own. Those eyes…the things he hides behind those eyes…so tortured. He has a pain that can only be recognized by someone who has suffered from similar wounds. He is a temptation which I will try my damnedest not to indulge in. But the masochist in me howls and claws at the opportunity. By Ryuushi, grant me the power to withstand his lure.

'Inconclusive ramblings; junk. That is all this is. But this is the only way it can be expressed. Pick up your mask, hide your broken soul and act.

'It is said that you are the only person that can bring me catharsis without criticism, without insincere concern or psychobabble bullshit, but instead I find myself the same lost, rampant and broken child. Unsure of her thoughts, feelings and actions. The schizoid…fucked up in the head. Mona Lisa's Cheshire smile that hides the truth of a withered, weary masochist, still hanging onto…hope?

-Whatever.'

I reread the last two paragraphs over and over again, not sure how to take it. This was truly not what I had expected of Shihiko. Perhaps Hiei was right, it was quite possible that I did not know her as well as I thought I did. My feelings about Shihiko are mixed. I do care for her. She is unlike any woman that I had ever been with, and she is the only woman that I can truly see myself with. However, I know myself, I know that there is no way that my personality will allow me to fall in love with anyone. My mother, my only exception, had changed me somewhat, made me more genial, more compassionate. However, my relationship with her has not changed me completely. I am still Youko Kurama, steely, calculating and ruthless when needed. I cannot be the one for her because I know that I cannot truly make her happy. Satiate her lust, yes, but not her heart.

I want to heal her heart…to heal the broken child, in an way I could. But first, I have to find her.

-:-:-:-

Normal P.O.V.

-:-:-:-

In what felt like an eternity, a week passed them by and there was still no sign of either Shihiko or Yusuke. The Tentei gathered in the great gold, jade and ivory office of Koenma. The young prince sat, in his toddler form, behind his grand mahogany desk. There was a slight grimace on his face. A sure sign that Reikai had failed to produce anything to contribute to the whereabouts of the two missing Tentei.

Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara and Botan were scattered about the office listening to the disheartening news.

"The only clue we have to go on is the constant blips of unusual energy that consumed Yusuke and Shihiko, which keeps on appearing throughout the city. We have found that everywhere that particular energy signature shows up a crime is committed. Since this is the only cookie in the cookie jar that we have, so to speak, I think it's about time that we assume finding Yusuke and Shihiko a lost cause, for now at least, and focus on finding the source of the energy," said Koenma. He looked away at the shocked expressions that came across the others faces. He had expected them to act this way, but, the combined force of their penetrating gazes on him made him uncomfortable nonetheless.

"What! Koenma, you can't do that," Botan stormed up to his desk and stared him in the eyes, "Yusuke would never give up on any of us if we were in his position, so don't you dare expect us to do the same!" her plum hued eyes began to water slightly at the possibility of Yusuke not returning.

Kurama walked up to Botan to place a consolatory hand on her shoulder, "She is right Lord Koenma," he said.

"Yeah, you can't just expect us to give up trying to find them!" said Kuwabara.

Koenma sighed, "Yes, I know how you all feel, but what you are failing to realize is that if we are able to track down that weird energy, it just might lead us to them."

"Lead you to who?" a familiar, cocky male voice sounded from behind them. The group turned around in utter shock.

There before them stood the two prime subjects of their conversation looking quite disheveled.

Yusuke and Shihiko…

-:-:-:-

To be continued…

Well that was chapter 21, sorry for the long wait, but as I mentioned before in the previous chapter, I was unable to update due to hurricane Katrina.

But, anywayz, tell me what you all think of the chapter. It took me forever to finish it. Why do you all think that Hiei doesn't trust Shihiko? Do you think Shihiko and Kurama will ever be a couple? What did you think of Shihiko's diary entry. There are a lot of thing in there that are confusing, like the history with her parents. In a previous chapter, Ran reminded her that she was the child of two silver dragons; does it ring any bells. Anyway, if you go back to the chapter 'and her name is Shihiko' you'll see what I mean. There is a reason why what Ran said is different form what Shihiko wrote in her diary.

Also, this story is being rewritten in more of an adult fashion on adult and it will be very different from the one I am posting on this site. The link is on my profile page.

Lastly, I have uploaded some pictures on of the way Shihiko and Ran look. I will continue to post the images of the rest of my characters on there once they appear in the story. So please visit that site and tell me what you think. The link is on my profile page.

Please review the story. I hoped you liked it, and I will update soon, because I now have internet access.

Tchao


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